US president’s remarks to Time magazine about PM’s role in conflict draw heavily critical response from Israeli government

US president’s remarks to Time magazine about PM’s role in conflict draw heavily critical response from Israeli government

Joe Biden has said that there is “every reason” to draw the conclusion that Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for his own political self-preservation.

Biden made the remarks about the Israeli prime minister in an interview with Time magazine published on Tuesday morning, drawing a sharp response from the Israeli government, which accused the US president of straying from diplomatic norms.

Netanyahu’s popularity plummeted after the 7 October attack by Hamas, which exposed serious flaws in Israeli security. Most political observers say Netanyahu would lose elections if they were held now, and would be forced into opposition, facing court hearings on corruption charges. But elections have been put off until the war is over, or at least until major military operations are deemed to have been completed.

Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5924·
    6 months ago

    Full quote:

    Time asked Biden whether he believed Netanyahu was “prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation”.

    “I’m not going to comment on that,” the president said in response, but added: “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

    But he still won’t even fucking say it…

    And people are already trying to frame this as him being “tough” on Israel.

    No matter what happens, no matter what atrocities they commit, Biden will always be loyal to Israel over all else.

    Which should be immediately disqualifying for president of America, for reasons that should be obvious by now.

    • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      312·
      6 months ago

      “There’s every reason for people to believe X, but I’m not going to comment on it” is commenting on it. If your friend said “there’s every reason to believe GSF murdered a hobo for fun, but I’m not going to comment on it”, you’re not going to thank them for not commenting on it.

      Biden has been WAAAAAY too deferential to Israel, and this is kind of a weak ass way to say it, but it was definitely said.

    • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
      248·
      6 months ago

      But he still won’t even fucking say it…

      He just did. In diplomatic terms, he screamed it to the heavens.

      International messaging isn’t played at the level of you and I shooting the shit between ourselves. Netanyahu likely shit himself in rage and fear over this.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        155·
        6 months ago

        Bruh, there have been other presidents…

        And they all said much worse, much earlier when Israel pulled their shit.

        Stop pretending this means anythingnwhilenBiden is still lying and saying there’s no genocide while.providing munitions.

        For fucks sake, it’s worse if Biden actually knows what’s going on and this is all he’s doing.

        • kamenLady.@lemmy.worldEnglish
          113·
          6 months ago

          It surely means something, when this was said by the American President and it definitely means more than what other countries said.

          America is THE Ally for Israel.

          Just like Germany, America can’t just drop Support for Israel. It’s the first time, one of the 2 “never turn by back to Israel” supporters made such a remark.

          Other countries saying something is like other kids in school talking about you.

          USA or Germany saying something is like Mom or Dad coming into your room and saying it to your face.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
            166·
            6 months ago

            I’m sorry that wasn’t clear

            I meant other presidents of America.

            Who were all able to pull Israel back.

            When Obama did it, Biden publicly called him out

            Biden recounted in private that when he was vice president in 2014 and Israel mounted a military assault on Gaza, Obama and his staff rejected his belief, held for decades, that the best way to approach the Israelis is to hug them close but not criticize them, the people familiar with his comments said.

            Instead, they said Biden has noted, Obama publicly admonished Israel’s actions and voiced concern for Palestinian civilian deaths early into the 2014 conflict. As a result, Biden has argued, Obama squandered any ability to influence the Israeli government as it invaded Gaza, said the people familiar with his comments.

            They said Biden’s message when he revisited the 2014 debate was: I was right then, and I am right now.

            https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/biden-obama-divide-closely-support-israel-rcna127107

            The reason it’s gone this far, is Israel knows Biden will never stop supporting them. They can do whatever they want.

            • kamenLady.@lemmy.worldEnglish
              13·
              6 months ago

              Consider my comment moot to your point.

              I see what you meant now and these are all facts that i agree overall.

              There are also European elections coming up. Together with the presidential election, the results will influence the 2 wars we have going on.

              But I’m afraid, the only choices are:

              • Everything continues like it is now

              • Everything will get much worse

              & I feel like we are straying far away from:

              • Make things better, for everyone
              • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
                114·
                6 months ago

                Yep.

                And the worst part about is “make things better, for everyone” not being picked, is that would make it a lot easier to avoid “everything will get much worse”.

                Say what you want about Bill and Obama’s actions while in office, but they were charismatic as hell and ran progressive campaigns. Campaigns that easily got them into and kept them in the White House.

                Yet for some reason when Trump showed up, we have to start running candidates like Hillary and Biden?

                There’s no rational reason behind it, if the only thing that matters is beating trump, we should give the voters what they want.

                We need to run candidates who are similar to Bill and Obama, not people that just used to stand next to them a lot like their wife or VP. Charisma doesn’t just rub off on people like that.

                • TachyonTele@lemm.eeEnglish
                  43·
                  6 months ago

                  So your solution is to just find someone that’s charismatic as hell? That’s what you’re putting up as the best option for president of the United States?

                  Genocide? Genny who? This guy’s charismatic as hell, I didn’t care what he does!

                  You’re handlers really need to feed you a more coherent narrative.

    • WamGams@lemmy.caEnglish
      73·
      6 months ago

      Biden essentially just told the world the US has no faith in Netanyahu leadership, which is essentially telling the Likkud to disband and form a new coalition government.

      I get that you guys are demanding he use a word that the ICC has refused to use, but he is laying the groundwork yo accomplish an end to this but it doesn’t fit your narrative.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        125·
        6 months ago

        Biden essentially just told the world the US has no faith in Netanyahu leadership

        I suggest you read the actual interview, although it’s hard to understand what Biden says before the media trims it into sound bites.

        Interviewer: Not at all. Some in Israel have suggested that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation. Do you believe that?

        Biden: I’m not going to comment on that. There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion. And I would cite tha as—before the war began, the blowback he was getting from the Israeli military for wanting to change the constitu—change the court. And so it’s an internal domestic debate that seems to have no consequence. And whether he would change his position or not, it’s hard to say, but it has not been helpful.

        https://time.com/6984968/joe-biden-transcript-2024-interview/

        He also blames Hamas that there’s no ceasefire:

        And whose fault is it that the that deal, the ceasefire for hostages has not been consummated? Is it Hamas or Israel or both?

        Biden: Hamas. Hamas could end this tomorrow. Hamas could say (unintelligible) and done period. And, but, and the last offer Israel made was very generous in terms of who they’d be willing to release, what they’d give in return, et cetera. Bibi is under enormous pressure on the hostages, on the hostages, and so he’s prepared to do about anything to get the hostages back.

        And denying their genocide:

        More broadly, from the intelligence in the evidence you’ve seen, either currently or in the last months, have Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza?

        Biden: The answer is it’s uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves. The ICC is something that we don’t, we don’t recognize. But one thing is certain, the people in Gaza, the Palestinians have suffered greatly, for lack of food, water, medicine, etc. And a lot of innocent people have been killed. But it is—and a lot of it has to do not just with Israelis, but what Hamas is doing in Israel as we speak. Hamas is intimidating that population. I went over right after that attack on the Israelis. What they did was—exceeded anything I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen a lot. Tying mothers and daughters together with rope and pouring kerosene on it and burning them to death. That kind of thing, attempting to intimidate. And it is dastardly.

        Important note: Biden just keep repeating things that he claimed ms Hamas did, but there’s no evidence besides Israel saying “trust me bro” yet he constantly excuses Israel’s human rights abuses.

        Don’t just read the small sound bites and fill in the gaps with what you hope it meant.

        That’s what trumpets do.

        • WamGams@lemmy.caEnglish
          37·
          6 months ago

          What is taken out of context when he says that people have every reason to believe Netanyahu is prolonging the war, and then goes on yo say Netanyahu is unhelpful and that he no longer cares whether Netanyahu can change his mind?

          He is clearly telling the Likkud to call an election.

          Or are you taking offense at the idea that Hamas is responsible for this war? They are.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
            65·
            6 months ago

            What is taken out of context when he says that people have every reason to believe Netanyahu is prolonging the war, and then goes on yo say Netanyahu is unhelpful and that he no longer cares whether Netanyahu can change his mind?

            The full context is the link, but your summary of even just the quoted parts is way off…

            And I’m not sure where any of the rest of what you’re saying is coming from either.

            I don’t think you trying to clarify is going to help though.

      • chiliedogg@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        6 months ago

        I think a lot of people don’t understand the implications of saying it’s genocide out loud.

        Since 1988 (when the US officially joined the Convention on Genocide), if the US officially says genocide is occurring, it’s supposed to directly intervene. Several states are immune from the convention, including the US, but not Israel.

        It puts the US in a delicate position. Cutting off all support to such a major ally basically requires saying they’re committing genocide, which commits us to war.

        There’s a lot of people that are opposed to what’s happening in Gaza, but don’t want to get in a shooting war with Israel over it.

        • WamGams@lemmy.caEnglish
          1·
          6 months ago

          Okay, but the US isn’t bound by the ICC, and the ICC went with articles 7 and 8 against Netanyahu, not article 6.

    • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
      32·
      6 months ago

      Thank you, saved me time and hope. I’m going to go have some whiskey.