05 February 2024 , 11:35
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Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "bad f***ing guy" in private conversations, a report suggests.
The US President has been hand in hand with the Israeli government in its devastating war in the Gaza Strip that has resulted in the deaths of over 27,000 Palestinians, most of which women and children, during the past four months.
As contempt against the war and pro-Palestinian protests across the US grow, a report has emerged claiming Biden resents Netanyahu and the political cost the support to Israel will have for the Democrats.
In a recent column for Politico, columnist Jonathan Martin claims that young Democrats are increasingly finding US support for Netanyahu's actions against Hamas untenable, raising concerns about potential political repercussions for the Biden administration.
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US President Joe Biden (L) listens to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP via Getty Images)The controversial disclosure stems from sources cited by Martin, alleging that President Biden privately referred to Netanyahu as a "bad f***ing guy." Martin writes: "Like everyone in the administration and any Democrat with a pulse, [Biden is] deeply suspicious of Benjamin Netanyahu, and privately has called the Israeli prime minister a 'bad fucking guy,' according to people who’ve talked to the president."
While the President's spokesperson, Andrew Bates, reportedly denied such a statement, the column suggests that Biden's suspicions about Netanyahu run deep. Bates reportedly responded to the claims by saying: "The president did not say that, nor would he," as Biden and Netanyahu have "a decades-long relationship that is respectful in public and in private."
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One of the central concerns highlighted in the report is Biden's fear that Netanyahu might be inclined to draw the US into a broader conflict in the Middle East. The column suggests that such a conflict would serve Netanyahu's interests by ensuring a continuous flow of American weapons to the region and potentially leading to the deployment of US troops. The chaos of a wider war could, in turn, alleviate international pressure on Netanyahu to agree to a Gaza cease-fire and help mitigate his domestic political challenges.
While the President has not voiced these concerns publicly, the column suggests that Biden is taking steps to signal empathy with pro-Palestinian activists. An example cited is the timing of Biden's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, where he decried hate against Arab Americans and expressed prayers for those affected by conflict, coinciding with the release of an executive order imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank accused of committing acts of violence against Palestinians.