Biden (left) recently increased the intensity of his rhetoric towards Netanyahu, who is trying to survive politically (French)
Today, Sunday, American media quoted informed sources as saying that US President Joe Biden and his aides are close to breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting that Netanyahu is focusing on his political survival, ruling out any other goal.
The Wall Street Journal said that Netanyahu is challenging Biden by confirming plans for the military operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, which the US administration rejects.
The newspaper quoted analysts as saying that Netanyahu is seeking to extend the war in Gaza, given what opinion polls show of a decline in his popularity and a decline in the strong support of Israeli citizens for its war against the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The newspaper indicated that there are fears among the Biden administration about the erosion of his popularity among voters - especially young people - with his continued support for Israel, according to what the US President’s aides said.
Public criticism
For its part, the Washington Post quoted White House officials as saying that Netanyahu continues to publicly humiliate the United States by rejecting its demands, and they added that they urged Biden to publicly criticize the Israeli Prime Minister.
But some Biden aides argue that criticizing Netanyahu would allow the US president to distance himself from the scorched-earth policies of an unpopular prime minister, while reiterating his long-standing support for Israel itself, according to the newspaper.
White House officials reported that the Biden administration no longer views Netanyahu as a partner who can be influenced, even in secret.
They also said that the Biden administration increasingly believes that Netanyahu is focused on his political survival by continuing the war to the exclusion of any other goal.
No change in strategy
American officials added to the newspaper that the White House is currently rejecting calls to withhold military aid from Israel or impose conditions on it, under the pretext that this will only encourage Israel’s enemies, stressing that there will be no change in Biden’s strategy towards Israel.
Meanwhile, Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security adviser to former President Barack Obama, told the newspaper that changing Biden’s tone by speaking publicly about Netanyahu will not change anything as long as Biden supports the Israeli military operation in Gaza without conditions and gives Netanyahu a “blank check,” as he put it.
"I don't know what he meant"
Biden's tone towards Netanyahu has escalated recently, but moved to a more serious level when he said last Thursday that Israel had "crossed the line" in the Gaza Strip.
On the other hand, Netanyahu said - in an interview with the American Fox News Channel - that he did not know what Biden meant when he described what he called “the response to the Hamas attack” as exceeding the limit in Gaza.
It is noteworthy that Washington believes that Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas is unattainable, but it still rejects calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Al Jazeera + American press