Report: Biden complained that Netanyahu lied to him about prisoners deal
Washington DC (Quds News Network)- A senior Biden administration official has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for being ungrateful towards the United States, despite substantial aid provided over the past 10 months of conflict, according to Israeli Haaretz. The official conveyed to the newspaper that recent conversations between US President Joe Biden and Netanyahu have been fraught with difficulty and tension.
“Biden realized that Netanyahu was lying to him about the hostages,” the official revealed. “He’s not saying it publicly yet, but in the meeting between them, he specifically told him, ‘Stop bullshitting me.'”
Despite the strained relations, the US is preparing to assist Israel against potential retaliations from Iran and Hezbollah. However, the Biden administration has said that there will be no support for actions that could escalate the conflict further.
“Netanyahu is trying to prolong the war instead of focusing on how to get to a hostage deal,” the official stated. “It’s making it harder for us to continue supporting Israel over time.”
In response to the reports of tense interactions, Netanyahu’s office issued a press release claiming that he “does not interfere in American politics and will work with whoever is elected president, just as he also expects the Americans not to interfere in Israeli politics.”
Further tension was reported within the Israeli government itself. A senior Israeli negotiator told Haaretz that defense chiefs believe Netanyahu is not genuinely interested in a hostage deal or a cease-fire with Hamas. Channel 12 detailed a heated exchange between Netanyahu and defense leaders, where Shin Bet head Ronen Bar accused Netanyahu of rejecting a viable framework for a deal. Mossad chief David Barnea emphasized the urgency of accepting the deal, warning of missed opportunities if delayed.
The White House Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer reiterated on CNN that Biden, having known Netanyahu for 40 years, can communicate with him candidly. “We have said clearly in public and in private that we think a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal is urgent,” Finer said.
Finer noted that there is currently no deal, but emphasized that there should be a deal. “We are exerting as much pressure as we can so that there is a deal because we believe it will be good for Israel, for the Palestinians in Gaza and for lowering the tempreture in the region,” he said
