On Thursday (July 25), President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, marking his first meeting with a foreign leader since announcing his presidential candidacy and endorsing Vice President Harris to run for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The meeting took place in the Oval Office, where Netanyahu thanked Biden for his 50 years of public service and support for Israel. Netanyahu expressed his anticipation for discussions with Biden on significant issues in the coming months.
Biden responded positively, expressing his own anticipation for the discussions ahead.
The day before, Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress, seeking to strengthen American support for Israel, emphasizing the need for unity in standing against Hamas in the war effort.
Biden intends to use this meeting to pressure both Israel and Hamas to release hostages in Gaza through a three-phase plan supported by the U.S.
According to CBS News, a senior U.S. government official stated that Biden and Netanyahu will delve into Gaza’s developments, ceasefire, and negotiations for hostage release, suggesting that negotiations are in the final stages and it’s time to push for an agreement.
A senior U.S. government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Biden and Harris have no differences on issues related to Israel.
While Harris did not attend Netanyahu’s speech, she is scheduled to meet with him separately later on Thursday.
This will be the first one-on-one contact between Harris and Netanyahu since March 2021. Some Democratic members of Congress opted to boycott Netanyahu’s speech.
During Netanyahu’s speech in Congress, thousands of protesters gathered near the Capitol. Some became violent, leading to police having to use pepper spray on those who refused to leave and saw American flags set on fire.
Harris, along with leaders from both parties, condemned the violence and decried the burning of the American flag as unacceptable.
Additionally, Netanyahu highlighted former President Trump’s support for Israel during his four-year term, including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, countering Iranian aggression, and relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump in Florida on Friday (July 26).