President Joe Biden’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today marks his first sit-down with a world leader since he exited the 2024 race on Sunday. The high-profile meeting and Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week in general has put one of the country’s most politically fraught foreign policy issues front and center for the presumptive Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, who will also meet with Netanyahu later Thursday.
During the meeting, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Biden for the longstanding support Israel has received over the years. He also expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Biden for the remainder of his term. A photo shared by the Israeli Government Press Office captured Netanyahu signing the guestbook in the Roosevelt Room, where he thanked Biden for the decades of friendship and support extended to Israel.
Behind closed doors, sources indicate that Biden is expected to be firm in urging Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire agreement. The planned meeting with the families of hostages still held in Gaza is seen as an opportunity to hold Netanyahu accountable for his commitment to pursuing a peace deal. Family members attending the meeting hope that President Biden will exert significant pressure on Netanyahu, now that he is free from the political constraints of a reelection campaign.
During a briefing coinciding with the leaders' meeting in the Oval Office, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby acknowledged the compromises made by both Israel and Hamas in the ceasefire negotiations. However, Kirby emphasized that further compromises are necessary to reach a resolution. Additionally, a State Department spokesperson refuted Netanyahu’s claim to Congress that there were minimal civilian casualties in Rafah, stating that civilian casualties did occur in the southern Gazan city due to Israel’s military campaign.
