President Joe Biden said he was not sure whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would delay reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza in order to influence next month’s U.S. election.
He was asked the question during a surprise appearance at a White House press briefing on Friday, telling reporters: “I don’t know if he’s trying to influence the election, but I’m not counting on it -above.”
Biden then addressed a few terse words to his longtime ally: “No administration has helped Israel more than me. None, none, none,” he said. “And I think (Netanyahu) should remember that.”
Some Democrats have expressed concern that Netanyahu is ignoring the U.S. president’s calls to broker a ceasefire deal and hostage releases to hurt the party’s chances in November.
Earlier this week, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN: “I don’t think you have to be a hopeless cynic to view some of Israel’s actions, some of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions, as being linked to the US election.” »
Polls suggest that escalating violence in the Middle East and the failure to reach a diplomatic deal are hurting Biden and his replacement as Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris.
The president’s approval rating among Arab Americans has plummeted over the past year, largely due to anger over U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign, which could harm the party’s prospects in November.
Biden has been pushing for a diplomatic deal between Israel and Hamas for months and has repeatedly indicated that one is close. A deal before the election would be a major boon for the president and the Democratic Party, but it seems increasingly unlikely.
While the Biden administration has primarily criticized Hamas for its failure to reach an agreement, the president has also publicly expressed growing frustration with Netanyahu, who he recently said he wasn’t doing enough to reach a deal.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, rejected suggestions from Washington that a deal was close.
“Hamas is not here to make a deal. There is unfortunately no deal in the works,” Israel’s prime minister said earlier this month, just hours after a U.S. official said the deal was 90% done.
The increasingly tense relationship between Biden and Netanyahu, who have known each other for decades, contrasts with the friendly relations the Israeli leader had with former President Donald Trump, the current Republican nominee.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its strikes on Gaza and launched a ground invasion into southern Lebanon. He also pledged to respond to an Iranian ballistic missile attack this week.
During her appearance at Friday’s news conference, which came as a shock to reporters in the room because it was the first time since she became president four years ago, Biden addressed concerns that Israel could strike Iranian oil fields in retaliation.
“The Israelis have not yet decided what they are going to do in terms of strike,” he said. “If I were in their place, I would think about alternatives other than hitting the oil fields.”
Biden caused oil prices to rise on Thursday when he said the United States was talking with Israel the possibility of strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure.