The conversation was “direct” and “productive”. Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu had a telephone exchange on Wednesday, during which the American president asked the Israeli Prime Minister to “reduce as much as possible the impact on civilians” in Lebanon, in particular in Beirut, according to a report from the ‘call. The Democrat also recalled during the exchange “Israel’s right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah.”
The White House statement did not provide details on Israel’s expected response to the October 1 Iranian missile attack, but noted that the US president and the Israeli prime minister agreed to “stay in close contact over the next few years.” days, directly and through their teams of national security advisors.”
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the interview, which included Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, lasted about 30 minutes. “These discussions continue,” she said of Israel’s response to Iran’s attack which launched 200 missiles towards Israeli territory on October 1.
Complicated relationship
The two leaders, whose relationship is complicated, had not spoken for seven weeks and therefore never had a conversation without intermediaries on the intensification of hostilities in Lebanon, or on the Iranian attack of October 1. Joe Biden has already made it known that he is opposed to Israeli strikes on Iran’s oil infrastructure in retaliation for this attack but, for the past year, he has had great difficulty making himself heard by Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed Wednesday that his country’s response to Iran would be “deadly, precise and surprising.”
His predecessor Donald Trump, presidential candidate in November, on the contrary went so far as to suggest last week that Israel strike nuclear facilities. According to his campaign team, the former Republican president spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu after the Iranian attack. “World leaders want to talk and meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to the White House and restore peace to the world,” said his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
In a book to be published on October 15, the famous American journalist Bob Woodward reveals that President Biden complained in April to his advisers about the head of the Israeli government, calling him a “liar”, “only interested in his political survival” and without any real strategy. Still in private, Joe Biden would have called Benjamin Netanyahu an “asshole” and a “fucking bad guy”.