President Joe Biden expressed uncertainty about whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delaying a Gaza ceasefire to sway the upcoming U.S. elections. During an unexpected White House press briefing, Biden stated, “Whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know—but I’m not counting on that.”
Biden also emphasized his support for Israel, remarking, “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none. I think [Netanyahu] should remember that.” Some Democrats worry that Netanyahu may be ignoring Biden’s calls for a ceasefire and a deal on hostages to impact the Democratic party’s prospects in November.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy recently remarked to CNN that some of Israel’s actions could be seen as linked to the American elections. Polls indicate that the ongoing violence in the Middle East and the lack of a diplomatic resolution may be detrimental to Biden and his potential successor, Kamala Harris.
Biden has been advocating for a diplomatic resolution between Israel and Hamas for several months, with indications that an agreement might be near. However, a deal before the election now seems increasingly unlikely.
While the Biden administration has mainly criticized Hamas for the lack of progress, the president has also shown growing frustration with Netanyahu, who has downplayed suggestions from the U.S. that a deal is imminent. Netanyahu stated, “Hamas is not there with a deal. There’s not a deal in the making, unfortunately,” contradicting a U.S. official’s claim that a deal was 90% complete.
The relationship between Biden and Netanyahu has grown strained, especially in contrast to Netanyahu’s previous rapport with former President Donald Trump. As Israel continues its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, it has vowed to retaliate against an Iranian missile attack.
At the press briefing, Biden addressed concerns about possible Israeli strikes on Iranian oil fields, suggesting that Israel might consider alternatives. His comments about potential U.S.-Israel discussions regarding strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure led to a rise in oil prices.