President Joe Biden on Tuesday denied any claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “playing politics” with the country’s war with Hamas.
After Biden gave a news conference that outlined his executive order to restrict asylum claims at the United States-Mexico border, a reporter asked the president, “Is Netanyahu playing politics with the war?”
“I don’t think so,” Biden said. “He’s trying to work out a serious problem he has.”
Biden on Friday announced that Israel put forward a proposal to bring about a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The deal, according to Biden, which would be implemented in phases, would include: a “full and complete ceasefire”; the withdrawal of Israeli forces “from all populated areas of Gaza”; the release of “a number of hostages” in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners; a stipulation that all Gazans be allowed to return to their homes; increased humanitarian aid; and a reconstruction plan for Gaza.
Netanyahu told his coalition partners in Israel that the proposal would meet his goal of destroying Hamas, according to local media. But ultranationalists have threatened to bring down Netanyahu’s government if he agrees to a deal that doesn’t eliminate Hamas, leading to fears that the ceasefire proposal could fall apart.
