Biden and Netanyahu meet with urgency to reach ceasefire deal at top of the agenda

Washington
CNN
 — 

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on the White Home Thursday afternoon, the place sources advised CNN the president was anticipated to be as forceful as he has ever been in urging Netanyahu to simply accept a ceasefire settlement, as US officers consider {that a} deal could also be on the cusp.

“We’re nearer than we’ve ever been,” one senior administration official stated. “It’s as much as the Israelis to simply accept it.”

Biden’s in-person assembly with Netanyahu adopted the Israeli prime minister’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, which sparked protests together with cases of antisemitism or pro-Hamas rhetoric in Washington, DC. The White Home has condemned such demonstrations.

Briefly remarks earlier than the assembly, Netanyahu talked about how the 2 males have identified one another for 4 many years. He added: “From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I need to thanks for 50 years of public service and 50 years of help for the State of Israel.”

Biden reminisced about assembly with earlier Israeli leaders earlier than making a joke about his age: “That’s how far again it goes. I used to be solely 12 then.” Neither chief responded to shouted questions from reporters.

The assembly, which was Biden’s first with a world chief since asserting he would drop out of the 2024 race, got here at a fragile level of their decadeslong relationship. A decision to finish the Israel-Hamas warfare that started in October now looms giant over Biden’s legacy as a one-term president. Progress within the negotiations for a ceasefire have are available in matches and begins in latest months, and Biden and his senior nationwide safety officers have been carefully concerned in making an attempt to land the deal.

Biden additionally participated in a gathering with Netanyahu that features households of American hostages in Gaza – a separate setting the place he might apply agency stress on Netanyahu to finalize the ceasefire settlement.

“On this setting he’ll actually be held accountable to his dedication of pursuing a ceasefire and hostage deal,” stated one US official.

Households of the American hostages have expressed frustration in latest months in regards to the relative lack of outreach from Netanyahu and his workplace – notably compared to the common cadence of communication that has come from senior Biden administration officers for the reason that warfare started.

One member of the family who attended the Thursday afternoon assembly with Biden and Netanyahu advised CNN earlier than the assembly that they hoped the president would use the setting to exert critical stress on his Israeli counterpart – notably now that Biden is free from the political burdens of a reelection marketing campaign.

After their assembly with the president and Netanyahu, some members of the family struck an optimistic tone on the prospects of a deal being reached quickly.

“We really feel extra optimistic than we’ve for the reason that first spherical of releases in late November, early December,” stated Jonathan Dekel-Chen. “We obtained absolute dedication from President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu that they perceive the urgency of this second now. And to waste no time. And to finish this deal because it at present stands with as little change as humanly potential.”

When the Biden administration proposed a joint assembly with the households, some US officers didn’t count on Netanyahu to simply accept the proposal, two US officers stated.

Different US officers believed that Netanyahu would haven’t any alternative however to simply accept the supply, and seen it as a chance to place the Israeli chief within the scorching seat in entrance of each Biden and hostage households amid ongoing efforts to succeed in a ceasefire and hostage deal, officers stated.

A number of sources careworn that no main announcement about an settlement is anticipated on Thursday. Nonetheless, as CNN reported this week, US and Israeli officers have voiced elevated optimism in regards to the prospects of an settlement.

Whereas Biden has remained firmly behind Israel, whilst its marketing campaign in Gaza has killed tens of 1000’s of Palestinians, each leaders have traded not-so-subtle barbs in latest months over the way forward for the warfare and the way Netanyahu has waged it.

Biden has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “excessive,” threatened to withhold some new arms transfers and repeatedly pressured Netanyahu to cut back and be extra exact in his army operation in Gaza – criticism that reached a peak when an Israeli strike killed seven World Central Kitchen staff in early April. The Israeli chief has been steadfast in his place that the warfare won’t finish till Hamas is eradicated whereas accusing the US of withholding weapons from its closest ally – claims that American officers flatly rejected.

Talking in entrance of Congress this week, Netanyahu didn’t considerably handle the standing of ceasefire negotiations. He as a substitute praised Biden for his “heartfelt help” for Israel after the October 7 Hamas assault whereas urging the US to fast-track army support to “dramatically expedite an finish to the warfare.”

“As we defend ourselves on all fronts, I do know that America has our again and I thanks for it – all sides of the aisle,” Netanyahu stated.

US officers stay delicate to Israeli politics that could be shaping Netanyahu’s calculations – together with, as CNN has reported, the timing of Israel’s parliament going into recess on the finish of the month, which might make it tougher for right-wing opponents of the deal to maneuver to break down the federal government.

The US doesn’t consider, for now, that Netanyahu is standing in the way in which of or delaying a ceasefire and hostage deal, and believes that progress is being made amid ongoing negotiations, based on a senior administration official. Each the Israelis and Hamas, the official stated, have parts they should agree on earlier than a deal is reached, and never one facet is holding up negotiations at this level.

The in-person assembly on the White Home would be the first time the 2 males have met in individual since Biden’s journey to Israel final 12 months following the October 7 assault, though the 2 males have spoken ceaselessly on the cellphone. It was adopted by the assembly with American hostage households, after which Netanyahu met with Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Biden has endorsed to exchange him on the highest of the Democratic ticket.

Harris welcomed Netanyahu and stated they’d “quite a bit to speak about” forward of their dialog.

The prime minister in his remarks to Congress criticized anti-Israel protesters as “Iran’s helpful idiots” and falsely downplayed the position of Israel in inflicting the continuing civilian struggling in Gaza.

Biden’s help for Israel’s warfare had been one his most politically poisonous points inside his personal get together for a lot of the 12 months, with a lot of his public marketing campaign appearances being repeatedly interrupted by protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden’s stance towards these protests has been conciliatory – he has repeatedly responded to them by saying that the protesters have some extent, and that too many harmless individuals are dying in Gaza.

However the nationwide dialog surrounding Biden’s dealing with of Israel’s warfare took a again seat to the waves of Democratic concern about his means to beat former President Donald Trump after his faltering debate efficiency final month. Trump and Netanyahu will meet Friday at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Florida, Trump introduced Tuesday.

Final week, Biden spoke extensively in regards to the warfare within the Center East for the primary time in months – telling a Complicated Networks interviewer that he considers himself a Zionist however including that he’s “achieved extra for the Palestinian group than anyone” whereas nonetheless calling for extra support to succeed in the Gaza Strip.

“I’m the man that opened up all of the property. I’m the man that made positive that – I obtained the Egyptians to open the border to let items by way of, drugs and meals,” Biden stated. “I’ve been very supportive of the Palestinians, however Hamas, they’re a bunch of thugs.”

Biden and Netanyahu final spoke throughout a 30-minute name on July 4, throughout which each leaders “centered” on particulars a couple of potential hostage change and ceasefire deal.

A deal was by no means finalized or assured throughout that decision.

CNN’s Sam Fossum contributed.

This story and headline have been up to date with further developments.