President Biden and other senior U.S. officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rejection of most of the administration’s recent requests related to the war in Gaza, four U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the issue told Axios.
Why it matters: Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack 100 days ago, Biden has given Israel his full backing, with unprecedented military and diplomatic support, even while taking a political hit from part of his base in an election year. That support has largely continued publicly, but behind the scenes, there are growing signs that Biden is losing his patience, the U.S. officials said.
- “The situation sucks and we are stuck. The president’s patience is running out,” one U.S. official told Axios.
- “At every juncture, Netanyahu has given Biden the finger,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who has been in close contact with U.S. officials about the war, told Axios. “They are pleading with the Netanyahu coalition, but getting slapped in the face over and over again.”
Behind the scenes: Biden hasn’t spoken to Netanyahu in the 20 days since a tense Dec. 23 call, which a frustrated Biden ended with the words: “This conversation is over.” They had spoken almost every other day in the first two months of the war.
- Before Biden hung up, Netanyahu had rejected his request that Israel release the Palestinian tax revenues it’s withholding.
- National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby tried to downplay the decrease in communication, telling reporters on Wednesday that “it doesn’t say anything” about the state of the relationship.
- But more and more signs of irritation are emerging. “There is immense frustration,” a U.S. official said.
What? It’s not a question of numbers but a question of intent. I’m saying the numbers as they stand are not evidence of such intent.
If the daily numbers of people dying was going up instead of down, such numbers would tend to prove genocidal intent.
Maybe it’s 5,000 people if the total number of people is 25,000 or something. That would be 20%. That would tend to prove genocidal intent.
Other things I would consider strong evidence: air strikes on civilian targets without no credible military justification, precision, or proportionality, would tend to prove genocidal intent.
Israel is literally doing all of what you have described in your last paragraph, go see a therapist because you have lost all empathy
You got tricked. The IDF has been pretty transparent. Link me a specific example of what you’re talking about and maybe I can help you understand how you’ve gotten mixed up.