Biden suggests Netanyahu prolonging Israel’s Gaza war for political gains
Al Jazeera
US president’s remarks come as Washington pursues a truce and captives deal between Israel and Hamas to end conflict.
Washington, DC – United States President Joe Biden has suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war on Gaza for political reasons, an accusation that highlights the apparent tensions between the two leaders.
In a TIME Magazine interview published on Tuesday, the US president said there is “every reason for people to draw” the conclusion that Netanyahu is perpetuating the conflict for his own political ends.
Biden’s remarks come as his administration pushes for a truce deal and exchange of captives between Israel and Hamas that Washington says would lead to an “enduring ceasefire” and the eventual reconstruction of Gaza.
The US has presented the proposal as an Israeli plan, arguing that Hamas is the only obstacle to the agreement.
The Palestinian group said on Friday – hours after Biden made the proposal public – that it is dealing “positively and constructively” with the plan, but it has not issued a formal response to it.
