President Joe Biden has expressed uncertainty about whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is delaying a potential Gaza ceasefire agreement to influence the upcoming U.S. election. During an unplanned appearance at a White House press briefing on Friday, Biden was asked if he thought Netanyahu’s reluctance to agree to a ceasefire might be an effort to affect the election. He responded, “Whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know – but I’m not counting on that.”
Biden did not hold back when addressing his long-time ally. He firmly stated, “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none,” and emphasized that Netanyahu should not overlook this fact.
This exchange comes as some Democrats express concern over Netanyahu’s stance on the ceasefire. There are fears that Netanyahu is ignoring Biden’s requests for a ceasefire and a hostage release deal, potentially to undermine the Democratic Party’s chances in the November election. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy highlighted these concerns earlier this week in an interview with CNN, stating, “I don’t think you have to be a hopeless cynic to read some of Israel’s actions, some of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions, as connected to the American election.”
The conflict in the Middle East, particularly the escalating violence and lack of a diplomatic resolution, is believed to be negatively impacting both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is set to replace him as the Democratic candidate. Polls suggest that the administration’s inability to secure a ceasefire and other diplomatic agreements is hurting their approval ratings, especially among Arab-American voters.
Biden’s support among Arab-Americans has notably decreased over the past year, a trend largely attributed to U.S. backing of Israel’s military actions. This growing discontent could pose a significant challenge for the Democratic Party in the upcoming election. For months, Biden has been advocating for a diplomatic resolution between Israel and Hamas, hinting several times that an agreement was near. A ceasefire deal ahead of the election would be a considerable achievement for the president and his party, but as the election draws closer, the possibility seems increasingly remote.
While the Biden administration has primarily criticized Hamas for its failure to negotiate a deal, the president has also been openly frustrated with Netanyahu. Recently, Biden publicly stated that Netanyahu was not doing enough to secure an agreement, signaling a shift in tone between the two leaders.
For his part, Netanyahu has denied claims that a deal is imminent. Earlier this month, in response to a U.S. official’s statement that a ceasefire agreement was 90% complete, Netanyahu said, “Hamas is not there with a deal. There’s not a deal in the making, unfortunately.” His rejection of such statements has highlighted the increasing strain between him and Biden, despite their decades-long relationship.
This growing rift stands in stark contrast to Netanyahu’s relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, the current Republican nominee, with whom the Israeli leader enjoyed a notably warm rapport.
As Israel continues its military actions in Gaza, it has also pushed forward with ground operations in southern Lebanon and has vowed to retaliate against Iran following a ballistic missile strike earlier this week. These developments are heightening tensions across the region and adding to the complexity of the situation.
During his Friday press briefing, Biden addressed concerns about the possibility of Israel retaliating by targeting Iranian oil fields. In response to reporters’ questions, he remarked, “The Israelis have not concluded what they are going to do in terms of a strike. If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields.”
Biden’s remarks came just a day after oil prices surged following his statement that the U.S. was in discussions with Israel about potential strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure. This news has fueled speculation about potential repercussions in global energy markets and the broader geopolitical landscape.
For now, the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu continues to face challenges as the situation in the Middle East remains unresolved. With the U.S. election just around the corner, the political and diplomatic stakes could not be higher for both leaders.