A senior official in the Biden administration criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that he has shown ingratitude toward the United States despite the significant aid it has provided during the past 10 months of conflict.
According to Haaretz, the official described recent conversations between President Joe Biden and Netanyahu as tense.
In one of these conversations, Biden reportedly said, “Stop bullshitting me,” after realizing Netanyahu was “lying to him about the hostages.”
The official mentioned that the US is prepared to assist Israel against potential responses from Iran and Hezbollah but clarified that there would be no American backing for actions that could escalate the conflict further.
Netanyahu responded to the reports of the tense conversations by asserting that he does not interfere in American politics and expects the same from the United States regarding Israeli politics.
Additionally, reports from Haaretz and Israel’s Channel 12 (Israeli media) highlighted internal disagreements, with Israeli Defense chiefs feeling that Netanyahu is not pursuing a cease-fire or hostage deal with Hamas.
Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea emphasized the urgency of taking the deal on the table, with Barnea warning, “There is a deal on the table. If we delay, we could miss the opportunity.” Netanyahu was accused of being “soft” by the defense chiefs.
