Biden and Netanyahu hold their first conversation in weeks
President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday were holding their first call in seven weeks, a conversation that comes as Israel expands its ground incursion into Lebanon and considers how to respond to Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack.
Netanyahu’s office also confirmed that the prime minister had recently spoken with former President Trump.
Trump, a Republican who is the midst of a close White House race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, called Netanyahu last week and “congratulated him on the intense and determined operations that Israel carried out against Hezbollah,” according to Netanyahu’s office.
A Trump ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), joined that call.
Israel has been discussing how to respond to the Iranian missile barrage from Oct. 1, which the United States helped to fend off. Biden last week said he would not support a retaliatory Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear program.
Contrary to critics who say the administration could force Benjamin Netanyahu’s hand, the U.S. has limited power to stop the conflict that began Oct. 7.
Israel’s other choices range from a largely symbolic strike — similar to how Israel responded after Iran launched missiles and attack drones in April — to hitting oil facilities and other infrastructure.
Since the leaders’ last call, Israel has carried out a brazen sabotage and assassination campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, where the militant group has continued to fire missiles, rockets and drones at Israel.
Israel is now undertaking what it has described as limited ground operations across its northern border with Lebanon to dig out Hezbollah. Airstrikes killed the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and decimated its leadership.
Last month, thousands of explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, killing dozens of people and maiming thousands, including many civilians. Israel is widely believed to be behind the attack
The U.S. has maintained a stepped-up troop presence in the region, to defend Israel and American interests in the Middle East. Washington has grown increasingly vocal with Israeli officials about the need to be kept in the loop on their decision-making to ensure the protection of U.S. forces.
President Biden says he doesn’t know whether Netanyahu is holding up a peace deal to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, had been scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on Wednesday, but the Israelis postponed the visit, according to Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh.
The Biden-Netanyahu conversation took place one day after disclosures from journalist Bob Woodward’s new book, “War” that Biden has privately made his frustration and distrust of Israeli leader known.
The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “bad f— guy,” according to the book.
In Woodward’s accounting, Biden said he felt that Netanyahu “had been lying to him regularly.” With Netanyahu “continuing to say he was going to kill every last member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had told him that was impossible, threatening both privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons shipment.”
The White House declined to comment.
Miller, Goldenberg and Madhani write for the Associated Press. Goldenberg reported from Jerusalem. AP writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.
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