US President Joe Biden expressed uncertainty about whether Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delaying a Gaza ceasefire agreement to influence next month’s election.
During a surprise appearance at a White House press briefing on Friday, Biden told reporters, “Whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know—but I’m not counting on that.”
He also had sharp words for Netanyahu, saying, “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none. And I think [Netanyahu] should remember that.”
Some Democrats worry that Netanyahu is ignoring Biden’s calls for a ceasefire and hostage release, potentially undermining the party’s chances in November.
Earlier this week, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said, “I don’t think you have to be a hopeless cynic to read some of Israel’s actions, some of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions, as connected to the American election.”
Polls indicate that the rising violence in the Middle East and the lack of a diplomatic solution are damaging Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s standing as the Democratic candidates.
The president’s approval rating among Arab-Americans has dropped significantly over the past year, largely due to dissatisfaction with US support for Israel’s military actions, which could harm the party’s prospects in November.
Biden has been advocating for a diplomatic resolution between Israel and Hamas for months and has indicated that an agreement may be close. However, it seems increasingly unlikely that a deal will be reached before the election.
While the Biden administration has primarily criticized Hamas for the lack of an agreement, the president has voiced growing frustration with Netanyahu, whom he believes is not making enough effort to finalize a deal.
In contrast, Netanyahu has dismissed US claims that an agreement is close. “Hamas is not there with a deal. There’s not a deal in the making, unfortunately,” he stated earlier this month, shortly after a US official suggested a deal was 90% complete.
The strained relationship between Biden and Netanyahu, who have known each other for decades, contrasts sharply with the camaraderie Netanyahu shared with former President Donald Trump, the current Republican nominee.
Israel has continued its military operations in Gaza and has launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, also pledging to retaliate against an Iranian ballistic missile attack this week.
At Friday’s press briefing, Biden addressed concerns about Israel potentially striking Iranian oil fields in retaliation.
“The Israelis have not concluded what they are going to do in terms of a strike,” he stated. “If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields.”
Oil prices surged on Thursday after he mentioned that the US was discussing possible strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure with Israel.
