Joe Biden says Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to Gaza is a ‘mistake’

US

Joe Biden has called Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the war in Gaza a “mistake”.

The US president has been increasingly public in his criticism of the Israeli prime minister and how Israel is carrying out its military offensive.

“I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” Mr Biden said in comments to Univision, a Spanish-language US TV network.

“What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” the president added.

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The interview was conducted last week and published on Tuesday.

Mr Biden has previously called Israel’s bombing in Gaza “indiscriminate” and its military actions “over the top.”

It comes as Muslims in Gaza begin celebrating Eid under the enduring threat of an Israeli army offensive into Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering.

A drone view shows Palestinians holding Eid al-Fitr prayers by the ruins of al-Farouk mosque in Rafah in Gaza.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Palestinians holding Eid al-Fitr prayers by the ruins of al Farouk mosque in Rafah. Pic: Reuters


The White House said last week that the president, in a call with Mr Netanyahu, threatened to make US support for Israel’s offensive conditional on it taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians.

That call followed the Israeli airstrike that killed seven staff of the aid group World Central Kitchen.


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Despite pressure to ban the sale of weapons to Israel, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the UK’s position remains “unchanged”.

He made the comment after being asked about the latest advice his government has received on whether Israel has been breaching international law in Gaza.

Three former Supreme Court judges recently joined more than 600 lawyers in calling for the UK government to halt arms sales to Israel, saying it could make Britain complicit in genocide in Gaza.

The UK supplied £42m worth of arms to Israel in 2022.

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