WATCH — Netanyahu Hits Back at Biden on War: ‘He’s Wrong’

Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has avoided directly criticizing Biden in public to avoid jeopardizing U.S. support, responded:

I don’t know exactly what the president meant, but if he meant that I was pursuing private policies that went against the wishes of the majority of Israelis and that this was harming Israel’s interests, If that’s what he meant, he’s wrong. Both are counted.

First, these are not just my personal policies. These are policies that the overwhelming majority of Israelis support. They support the actions we are taking to destroy Hamas’ remaining terrorist battalions. They said that once we destroy Hamas, the last thing we should do is educate our children against terrorism and as head of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority, which pays for terrorism. I’m saying it’s about being thrown in. And they also support my position that attempts to undermine the Palestinian state should be categorically rejected.

That’s something they agree with. And I think that’s also in Israel’s interest. Because the majority of Israelis understand that if we don’t do this, the October 7th massacre will be repeated, and it’s bad for Israel, and it’s bad for Israel. It’s from. Palestinians are bad for the future of peace in the Middle East. Therefore, any attempt to say that my policy is my personal policy, which is not supported by most Israelis, is false. The majority is more united than ever before. And they understand what is good for Israel. They understand what is important to Israel. And I think they’re right.

Biden also said that Israel’s attack on the last four Hamas battalions in the city of Rafah would cross a “red line” (but not something that would cut off U.S. arms supplies).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week in a thinly veiled rebuke of Mr Biden’s position on Mr Rafah:[w]Telling us not to operate in Rafah is like telling us to lose the war, and that will not happen. ”