President Biden on Thursday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the days since the war in Gaza began that he would maintain America's steadfast support for Israel while preventing civilian deaths and addressing Palestinian concerns. He said he asked them to respond.
Biden spoke with MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell in his final television interview in office, during which he also talked about his political career and the presidency. The interview, which aired Thursday night, was recorded earlier in the day.
The 15-month war, which began after Hamas led a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Most of Gaza's roughly 2 million residents have been evacuated at least once, and much of the enclave has been destroyed.
Biden and other leaders announced an interim ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, raising hopes that Israel's military offensive on Gaza will end. Under the cease-fire agreement, some hostages held by Hamas in Gaza will be released.
The president and his advisers struggled for months to negotiate an end to the conflict. Biden, who put the ceasefire on the table in May, said on MSNBC that he had repeatedly told Netanyahu that he “must find a way to address the legitimate concerns” of the Palestinians. He called Netanyahu a friend, but added: “We don't really see eye to eye these days.”
Critics, including some families of hostages who had called for a cease-fire agreement, accuse Netanyahu of deliberately delaying negotiations to prolong the conflict. Mr. Biden did not directly answer a question about whether he thought Mr. Netanyahu had done so. He said the Israeli prime minister was under political pressure from the Israeli right and was sometimes forced “to do some of the things that, in my belief, were counterproductive.”
President-elect Donald J. Trump and Mr. Biden have directed their advisers to work together to reach a ceasefire agreement. Mr. Biden said in an interview Thursday that he had not discussed negotiations with Mr. Trump in the past two weeks.
Biden recalled that the first time he asked Prime Minister Netanyahu to prevent civilian deaths was during a visit to Israel, 10 days after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Biden said he told the prime minister that the United States would continue to take similar measures. Supports Israel, but “cannot carpet bomb these communities.”
Israel's bombing campaign has been one of the most violent of the 21st century's wars, and the country has sometimes used inaccurate bombs.
During the interview, Biden asserted his staunch support for Israel throughout the conflict.
“Just when Iran thought it was going to blow Israel off the map, thousands of missiles were heading their way,” he said. “Well, guess what? We didn't allow it.”
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