Israel’s head of government is currently on a major trip to the US. In addition to his speech to Congress, there are various important meetings – with the current president and the candidates for his successor.
After his speech in the US Congress, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Joe Biden. The two met at the White House on Thursday. Netanyahu was also scheduled to meet with Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, who wants to move into the White House for the Democrats after the election on November 5. On Friday, Netanyahu plans to meet with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Florida.
The relationship between the incumbent US President Biden and Israel’s head of government has long been strained. The mood has worsened further due to the Israeli leadership’s actions in the Gaza war. The USA, as Israel’s most important ally, has been urging Israel for months to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza and improve protection for the civilian population. Netanyahu rejects any criticism of his country’s military actions in the Gaza Strip.
At the start of the meeting, Netanyahu thanked Biden for his support: “I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel,” the Israeli head of government said to Biden, who announced his withdrawal from the presidential race on Sunday. Biden said there was a lot to discuss. The two did not answer any questions from the press present.
USA wants hostage deal to be concluded
Netanyahu clearly justified his course in a speech to the US Congress on Wednesday. The prime minister, who is under pressure at home and internationally, was celebrated in the Capitol in Washington, especially by Republicans, lashed out at critics in all directions and, among other things, called the accusations of the International Criminal Court dangerous lies.
Contrary to the hopes of relatives of the 120 hostages still remaining in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu did not announce an agreement on a ceasefire in exchange for the release of the hostages.
National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby said there was a lot on the agenda at the meeting between Biden and Netanyahu. The US is convinced that the hostage deal must come to fruition. We firmly believe that the remaining gaps can be closed, “but it will, as always, require a certain amount of leadership, compromise and effort to achieve that goal.”
It is Netanyahu’s first visit to Washington in nearly four years and his first foreign trip since the Islamist Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, which led to the war in Gaza. The appearance before the US Parliament was also his fourth of this kind, which is rather unusual. Biden and Netanyahu last met in person in October in Tel Aviv, shortly after the Hamas massacre.
Protests against Netanyahu in the USA
Netanyahu’s stay in Washington was accompanied by major protests. There were also anti-Semitic incidents. Harris condemned these in the strongest possible terms: “I condemn all persons who express solidarity with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to destroy the State of Israel and kill Jews,” said the US Vice President. “Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric are despicable and must not be tolerated in our country.”
She also condemns the burning of the US flag, said Harris. “It should never be desecrated in this way.” She supports the right to protest peacefully, said Harris, adding: “But let us be clear: anti-Semitism, hatred and violence of any kind have no place in our country.”
The protests were also discussed at the White House’s regular press briefing. Kirby was asked if he agreed with claims that Iran was financially supporting some of the protesters. He replied that we know “that Iran is funding and supporting some of the protests here in the United States.” But we do not believe that all protests are supported by Iran.
