Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office
(Video: NBC)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday evening in the Oval Office.
The meeting comes after Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, passing the baton to his deputy, Kamala Harris. Despite dropping out, Biden will remain in office until January, freeing him from the political constraints of the campaign. Israel hopes to leverage this period to achieve maximum coordination on several key issues.
4 View gallery
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office
(Photo: AP/Susan Walsh)
“Welcome back Mr. Prime Minister. We’ve got a lot to talk about. I think we should get to it. The floor is yours,” Biden said at the opening of their meeting.
“Mr. President, we have known each other for 40 years, and you’ve known every prime minister for 50 years, from Golda Meir. From a proud Jewish Zionist, to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel,” Netanyahu thanked Biden for his long-standing support of Israel.
“I look forward to discussing with you today, and working with you in the months ahead, on the great issues before us,” Netanyahu added. “I look forward to it as well,” Biden replied.
“By the way, that first meeting with Prime Minister Golda Meir, she had an assistant sitting next to her named Rabin. That’s how far back I go. I was only 12 then,” Biden quipped.
Netanyahu, who took office in January last year, is making his first visit to the White House as Biden’s guest. Until now, Netanyahu and Biden had only met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last year, where Biden promised a White House invitation by the end of the year. However, the October 7 events disrupted those plans, leading to Biden's historic visit to Israel instead.
Following his meeting with Biden, Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet with Vice President Harris at the White House at 11:30 p.m. (Israel time. This meeting is equally significant, given Harris’s potential to become the next U.S. president. Building a foundational trust and addressing past tensions are seen as crucial, as Harris is viewed as more critical of Israel and Netanyahu within the Biden administration.
Pro-Palestinian protesters outside the White House
(Video: Itamar Eichner)
Earlier, Harris condemned protests against Netanyahu, saying, "I condemn any individual connected to the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to destroy the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric are abhorrent, and we must not tolerate this in our nation. I also condemn the burning of the American flag."
Meanwhile, dozens of protesters are gathered outside the White House chanting, "Netanyahu, you can hide, but we accuse you of genocide," "Free Palestine," and "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." Some demonstrators held up an effigy of Netanyahu with blood on his hands, and there were reports of confrontations with Israelis.
Netanyahu's bullet points
Israel's primary goal is to coordinate with Biden on the issue of a hostage deal. An American official noted there is a sense that a deal might be possible this time since both sides are interested, but not everyone in the White House is convinced, fearing Netanyahu may be stalling. Biden is determined to secure a deal for his legacy and to bring the hostages home.
The meeting will focus on reaching an understanding on the framework, particularly on the two issues Netanyahu insists on: the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor.
Netanyahu addresses joint session of Congress
(Video: Reuters)
Next week, an Israeli delegation is expected to visit Qatar, and it is possible that CIA Director Bill Burns will also be involved to hammer out the details. Israeli officials believe that military pressure on the Philadelphi Corridor led to a change in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s stance, causing him to drop his insistence on a commitment to end the war. However, Sinwar now insists that negotiations for the second phase continue indefinitely to prevent Israel from resuming the war.
Israel sees an opportunity for a deal but acknowledges unresolved issues remain. Netanyahu is confident that a favorable deal will be approved by his government, preventing its collapse. Biden has invited both the families of the hostages who accompanied Netanyahu and those in Washington to the meeting, a move intended to increase pressure on Netanyahu to agree to a deal.
In addition to discussing a Gaza cease-fire, Netanyahu will address the situation in the north and diplomatic efforts during his meeting with Biden. If diplomatic efforts fail, Israel may need to take military action against Hezbollah and requires U.S. support, particularly in terms of armaments. Netanyahu plans to emphasize that a Gaza cease-fire does not obligate Israel to cease fire in the north, even if Hezbollah halts its attacks.
The post-war situation in Gaza is also expected to be a topic of discussion. The U.S. has repeatedly urged Netanyahu to declare his plans, warning that without a clear strategy, Hamas will rearm. In his speech to Congress Wednesday night, Netanyahu spoke about establishing a civilian administration in Gaza committed to demilitarization and deradicalization. However, the plan cannot proceed under the current conditions, especially if terrorists return to northern Gaza.
Normalization with Saudi Arabia will also be on the agenda. Unlike his speech at the UN last September, Netanyahu did not explicitly mention Saudi Arabia in his address to Congress but spoke of a vision for a regional alliance, implying Saudi involvement.
Netanyahu believes this alliance is crucial to counter Iran’s influence in the Middle East, viewing it as not only a goal for the free world but also a necessity for moderate regimes in the region. "I am talking about a regional defense alliance that will be not only a defensive coalition but a security coalition in every sense," he said.
Before departing for Washington, Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with settler leaders who planned to express their deep concerns about continued U.S. sanctions on settlers. Netanyahu will raise this issue with Biden, though it is unlikely he will succeed in convincing the administration.
He will also need to clarify if the administration plans to impose sanctions on ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich following Ben-Gvir's statement on changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, which prompted Netanyahu’s office to issue a statement from Washington asserting that the status quo will not change.
In his speech to Congress, Netanyahu also highlighted the issue of armaments, calling on the U.S. to expedite the transfer of munitions to Israel to "finish the job faster." While there has been significant progress following recent talks, the transfer of one-ton bombs remains unresolved. Netanyahu hopes to finalize this matter in his meeting with Biden, though the administration insists that such bombs cause significant damage and casualties, making them dangerous to use near civilians.
Additionally, Israel will request that President Biden take more proactive measures against the Houthis in Yemen to deter them from acting against Israel and the coalition. Following Saturday's strike on the port of Hodeidah, there was satisfaction among moderate Arab states, but more action is needed.
On Friday, Netanyahu will fly to Palm Beach, Florida, to meet with former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The meeting will be closed to the press, with journalists accompanying Netanyahu remaining in Washington. After the meeting, Netanyahu will return to Washington to observe the Sabbath before flying back to Israel on Saturday night.