President Biden and other senior U.S. officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rejection of most of the administration's recent requests related to the war in Gaza, four U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the issue told Axios.
Why it matters: Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack 100 days ago, Biden has given Israel his full backing, with unprecedented military and diplomatic support, even while taking a political hit from part of his base in an election year. That support has largely continued publicly, but behind the scenes, there are growing signs that Biden is losing his patience, the U.S. officials said.
- "The situation sucks and we are stuck. The president's patience is running out," one U.S. official told Axios.
- "At every juncture, Netanyahu has given Biden the finger," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who has been in close contact with U.S. officials about the war, told Axios. "They are pleading with the Netanyahu coalition, but getting slapped in the face over and over again."
Behind the scenes: Biden hasn't spoken to Netanyahu in the 20 days since a tense Dec. 23 call, which a frustrated Biden ended with the words: "This conversation is over." They had spoken almost every other day in the first two months of the war.
- Before Biden hung up, Netanyahu had rejected his request that Israel release the Palestinian tax revenues it's withholding.
- National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby tried to downplay the decrease in communication, telling reporters on Wednesday that "it doesn't say anything" about the state of the relationship.
- But more and more signs of irritation are emerging. "There is immense frustration," a U.S. official said.
Biden should definitely change it, and the White House just released that statement, and nobody is making an argument otherwise.
The point of these comments is that a singular policy that is in line with the last 20 administrations should not reflect as a personal candidate decision that causes anyone to vote for Trump or give Trump any chance to win.
I've been critical of the US israeli alliance for decades, and the Israeli occupation of Palestine in general as well as the extra judicial executions, but that has nothing to do with voting for this candidate this year.
Fuck that.
If you want people to vote for you, be good enough to vote for regardless who your opponent is.
If you believe that democracy is a valid method for choosing your leaders, then you don't get to blame voters for 'getting it wrong'; by definition they are always right.
If your guy doesn't win, it means he fucked up. There's nobody else to blame.
If it's the end of the fucking world if your opponent gets in, then maybe just fucking maybe now is not the time to play chicken by trying to get away with being 99.99999% as much of a piece of shit as your opponent, and hoping to get by on the skinniest margin you can. If it's that big a deal, maybe try to make that margin as wide as fucking possible.
To be 100% clear here, you aren't wrong. I'm removing this due to the personal attacks on the other user. I can tell by the way you write that you can make the point otherwise.
"Your tantrum is as naive as it is immature."
Rule 3.
"you ignorant idiot"
Also rule 3.
Fair, I just had to go back and self-censor another comment. Have a good one