Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fought back against President Biden’s suggestion that his policies were harming Israel in a Sunday interview.
Netanyahu stated in an interview with Politico that if Biden meant that he is going against the wishes of the majority of Israelis and harming Israel's interests, then he disagrees.
Netanyahu believes that most Israelis back the Gaza operation to eradicate the remaining Hamas forces and sees this as crucial for Israel's well-being, despite Biden's criticism.
Netanyahu has led an operation in Gaza to eradicate Hamas and free the hostages, resulting in an estimated 30,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
Netanyahu stressed that these policies are not just his own, as they are widely supported by the majority of Israelis who endorse the actions taken against the remaining Hamas terrorist groups.
He added that the majority of Israelis understand that failure to act would lead to a repeat of the October 7th massacre, which would have negative implications for both Israel and the future of peace in the Middle East.
As international pressure for a cease-fire grows, Biden has intensified his criticism of the Gaza operation, expressing concerns about Israel’s global reputation and civilian casualties, though he continues to provide support for the country.
Biden emphasized in an interview with MSNBC that while Israel has the right to defend itself and pursue Hamas, more attention should be paid to the innocent lives being lost as a result of the actions taken.
Biden also expressed his view that Netanyahu's approach is detrimental to Israel, contradicting its values and representing a significant error.
Netanyahu defended his position on the Palestinian Authority's role in Gaza and the rejection of a Palestinian state, believing that most Israelis share his perspective.
He stated that this is a point of agreement among Israelis.
The Israel Democracy Institute conducts monthly surveys to gauge Israeli opinion on current events.
In February, the most recent survey, around 64.4 percent of the Israeli public – including 74.1 percent of Israeli Jews and 16.9 percent of Israeli Arabs – supported the military expansion into Rafah to pressure Hamas for the release of the hostages.
When the survey was conducted in December asked when the general public was asked who they wanted as the prime minister after the war, only 15 percent supported Netanyahu.
The Hill has contacted the White House to get a response to Netanyahu’s comments.
