US President Joe Biden told MSNBC on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “hurting Israel more than helping it” in waging war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
The president’s unusual statement — an unprecedented attack on the leader of a democratic nation and war ally — comes as he faces a backlash from Arab and Muslim American voters in key battleground states angry about U.S. support for Israel. It was brought out in the face.
Biden argued that Netanyahu was jeopardizing world support for Israel by continuing the war as Palestinian casualties mount. He did not explain what the alternative would be, but acknowledged that, in fact, a permanent ceasefire would allow Hamas to rebuild and return to carry out more terrorist attacks.
Recent polls show that Netanyahu’s war policy is supported not only by a majority of Israelis but also by a majority of Americans.
Mr. Biden’s hostility toward Mr. Netanyahu is well known. Prime Minister Netanyahu has refused to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for several months after Israel’s leader was elected in November 2022.
inside interview, Biden also said there were “red lines” that Israel should not cross, but did not mention restricting U.S. arms sales to Israel. He said Israel should not enter the city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, and attack the last Hamas battalion until it has a plan to evacuate Palestinians who have fled there. (Prime Minister Netanyahu said telling Israel not to enter Rafah was like telling Israel to lose the war.)
The interview, in which Jonathan Capehart flattered him (“That was an absolutely terrible speech!”), was Biden’s first since Thursday’s State of the Union address, in which he expressed sympathy for Israel while also He issued a warning regarding Palestinian civilians.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. He is the author of the recent book, The Zionist Conspiracy (And How to Participate in It), now available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 US Presidential Election. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
