Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prevented Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's trip to Washington after U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly refused to take his call, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
U.S. officials denied the report, claiming that the president's call with the prime minister was scheduled to take place this week and that they had not spoken earlier due to Biden’s need to address the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
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US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: Prime Minister's Office, AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Sources close to Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Gallant was informed his trip was not approved prior to Netanyahu and Biden speaking. "Gallant was invited to Washington and informed the Prime Minister's Office. He was told at the time that he could not travel until the prime minister spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden," the sources said.
"The decision was not personal and was not an effort to flex muscles. There is a process that must take place so that Gallant travels armed with the Cabinet's decision."
This is not the first time Netanyahu has delayed a trip planned by the defense minister until he could personally speak to the leader of the country Gallant was scheduled to visit. Ultimately, the visit was allowed to proceed after Netanyahu had the conversation he was seeking.
Netanyahu conditioned Gallant's visit to the U.S. on the Security Cabinet’s approval of the response to Iran's attack on Israel and on a conversation with Biden. The two leaders are scheduled to speak later on Wednesday, marking their first conversation since August 22.
Gallant's words in his previous meeting with Austin during his U.S. visit
(Video: Elad Malka)
Following the Iranian missile strike, Biden said he would be speaking with the prime minister, but the call has not taken place in the nine days since. The president did, however, speak with President Isaac Herzog on October 7, marking a year since the Hamas massacre.
An Israeli official told The Washington Post that Netanyahu had tried several times to reach Biden by phone but was unsuccessful. An American official denied these claims, calling them untrue.
"The administration consults with Israelis on a number of levels and we've always said the leaders will speak soon, following these consultations. That is what we agreed in recent weeks," he said, adding that a call on Tuesday was not possible because Biden was traveling to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to address the hurricane response.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Israel has refused to provide the Biden administration with details of its planned attack on Iran after Iran launched its missile strike on Israel earlier this month.
Hours after news broke of Netanyahu delaying Gallant’s visit, U.S. officials told the Journal there was growing frustration in the administration over being repeatedly surprised by Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Gaza.
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Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
(Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry)
Sources detailed a conversation between Gallant and his U.S. counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, shortly after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a bombing of his bunker in Beirut last month. "Sorry, what did you say?" Austin reportedly asked, according to officials with knowledge of the exchange. Austin also questioned whether Israel intended to defend itself on its own, given the lack of communication with the administration.
Sources said Austin was frustrated because the U.S. had insufficient time to organize its forces to assist Israel or protect American troops in the Middle East. Washington officials expressed hope that in the future, they would have more advance notice of attacks that could lead to greater American involvement, as Israel continues to vow retaliation against Iran.
American officials believe Israel will target Iranian military and intelligence assets. A conversation between Biden and Netanyahu, details of which were revealed on Tuesday in excerpts from a new book by journalist Bob Woodward, reportedly led to a tempered Israeli response to an Iranian attack in April. Biden is said to have told Netanyahu to "take the win" after the Iranian attack failed, advising that no further action was necessary.
Israel may be withholding information from the administration due to concerns over leaks. Shortly before the Israeli ground offensive in southern Lebanon began last week, U.S. officials leaked details of the IDF's operational plans to the media, likely in an effort to prevent any miscalculations by Iran, which has since launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel.
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