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©(Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
President Joe Biden pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to quickly reach a Gaza ceasefire Thursday, with a friendly handshake masking tense ties and questions over the outgoing United States leader's relevance.
The two leaders put on a good-humored show for the cameras as they met in the Oval Office at the White House, just four days after 81-year-old Biden's stunning announcement that he would not seek reelection.
"From a proud Zionist Jew to a proud Zionist Irish American, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in tribute to Biden at the start of the Oval Office meeting.
"And I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead."
But Netanyahu, 74, is also set to meet separately with Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, reflecting the new political reality of Biden being a lame duck for the next six months.
Harris has been more outspoken about Gaza in the past, and there has been speculation that she could adopt a tougher stance toward Israel. Officials deny there is any "daylight" between her and Biden.
The White House said Biden would keep pushing for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, a potentially legacy-defining achievement, if it happens.
And it said it still believed that Netanyahu was ready for an agreement despite a fiery speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, in which he vowed "total victory" against Hamas.
"The president will be reaffirming to Prime Minister Netanyahu that he believes we need to get there, and we need to get there soon," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
"We can achieve a deal, but it's going to require, as it always does, some leadership, some compromise."
A senior US administration official said Wednesday that negotiations on a Gaza deal were in the "closing stages" and that Biden would try to close some "final gaps" with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu will meet Republican contender Donald Trump on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
The ex-president on Thursday morning urged Israel to quickly "finish up" its war in Gaza, warning its global image was being tarnished.
Gaza strikes persist
Israeli strikes hit Gaza on Thursday as the military said it had recovered the bodies of five Israelis taken to Gaza by Hamas militants after they were killed on October 7.
An AFP correspondent reported air strikes and machine gun fire from tanks in Gaza City.
Witnesses said there was shelling in the Khan Younes and Rafah areas of the south, as well as air strikes in al-Qarara.
The Israeli military said it was continuing operations in Rafah and that in recent days it had "eliminated dozens" of militants in Khan Younes, where Hamas's armed wing also said it had been fighting.
West Bank tensions escalate
Deadly Israeli military raids and arson attacks by Israeli settlers have become increasingly frequent in the West Bank. The rocketing number of such disturbing events comes after Israel’s occupation was confirmed as illegal by the United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice.
Israeli forces also stormed several villages in the West Bank: Asira al-Qibliya village in the south of Nablus, Silwad village northeast of Ramallah and Azzun village east of Qalqilya.
Three Israeli soldiers were injured in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank, according to the Israeli army.
They added that their forces are increasing their presence in the area and "encircling" adjacent Palestinian villages in an attempt to find the perpetrators of the attack.
The UN confirmed receiving numerous reports of Palestinian homes being demolished by Israeli forces today.
The two leaders put on a good-humored show for the cameras as they met in the Oval Office at the White House, just four days after 81-year-old Biden's stunning announcement that he would not seek reelection.
"From a proud Zionist Jew to a proud Zionist Irish American, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in tribute to Biden at the start of the Oval Office meeting.
"And I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead."
But Netanyahu, 74, is also set to meet separately with Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, reflecting the new political reality of Biden being a lame duck for the next six months.
Harris has been more outspoken about Gaza in the past, and there has been speculation that she could adopt a tougher stance toward Israel. Officials deny there is any "daylight" between her and Biden.
'Compromise'
The White House said Biden would keep pushing for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, a potentially legacy-defining achievement, if it happens.
And it said it still believed that Netanyahu was ready for an agreement despite a fiery speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, in which he vowed "total victory" against Hamas.
"The president will be reaffirming to Prime Minister Netanyahu that he believes we need to get there, and we need to get there soon," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
"We can achieve a deal, but it's going to require, as it always does, some leadership, some compromise."
A senior US administration official said Wednesday that negotiations on a Gaza deal were in the "closing stages" and that Biden would try to close some "final gaps" with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu will meet Republican contender Donald Trump on Friday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
The ex-president on Thursday morning urged Israel to quickly "finish up" its war in Gaza, warning its global image was being tarnished.
Gaza strikes persist
Israeli strikes hit Gaza on Thursday as the military said it had recovered the bodies of five Israelis taken to Gaza by Hamas militants after they were killed on October 7.
An AFP correspondent reported air strikes and machine gun fire from tanks in Gaza City.
Witnesses said there was shelling in the Khan Younes and Rafah areas of the south, as well as air strikes in al-Qarara.
The Israeli military said it was continuing operations in Rafah and that in recent days it had "eliminated dozens" of militants in Khan Younes, where Hamas's armed wing also said it had been fighting.
West Bank tensions escalate
Deadly Israeli military raids and arson attacks by Israeli settlers have become increasingly frequent in the West Bank. The rocketing number of such disturbing events comes after Israel’s occupation was confirmed as illegal by the United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice.
Israeli forces also stormed several villages in the West Bank: Asira al-Qibliya village in the south of Nablus, Silwad village northeast of Ramallah and Azzun village east of Qalqilya.
Three Israeli soldiers were injured in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank, according to the Israeli army.
They added that their forces are increasing their presence in the area and "encircling" adjacent Palestinian villages in an attempt to find the perpetrators of the attack.
The UN confirmed receiving numerous reports of Palestinian homes being demolished by Israeli forces today.
This Is Beirut
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