Biden Administration Undermining Netanyahu’s Government, Says Senior Official: ‘Israel Is Not A Vassal State Of The US’
What Happened: The official’s statement, released on Tuesday, underscores the escalating tension between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu, especially over the Gaza war. This follows a U.S. intelligence agency’s annual threat assessment report, which expressed increasing “distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule” since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, reported Axios.
The report also suggested that Netanyahu’s leadership and his governing coalition may be at risk, and predicted large protests demanding Netanyahu’s resignation and new elections in the coming weeks and months.
The senior Israeli official responded to the report by accusing the Biden administration of interfering in Israeli domestic politics.
“Those who elect the Prime Minister of Israel are the citizens of Israel and no one else. Israel is not a vassal state of the U.S. but an independent and democratic country whose citizens are the ones who elect the government,” the official said.
The official further stated, “We expect our friends to act to overthrow the terror regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel.”
The Biden administration has been under significant political pressure over its support for the Israeli government in its war with Hamas, as the president seeks re-election.
Why It Matters: This development comes in the wake of a series of events that have strained US-Israel relations. In February, President Biden reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s tactics in Gaza in private conversations.
Earlier in March, Biden was overheard discussing a forthcoming “come-to-Jesus meeting” with Netanyahu after his State of the Union address.
Furthermore, Netanyahu reportedly intends to invade Rafah, situated on the Gaza Strip’s southern border, despite stark opposition from President Biden.
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