Biden meets with Netanyahu a day after Israeli leader's fiery speech to Congress
Washington — President Biden planned to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept an elusive ceasefire deal with Hamas when the two leaders met Thursday at the White House, according to White House national security communications adviser John Kirby.
"We feel that we've got to get this hostage deal in place so we can get a ceasefire also in place," Kirby said during the White House press briefing. "The president will be reaffirming for Prime Minister Netanyahu that he believes we need to get there, and we need to get there soon."
He said there are issues that still need to be resolved that will require compromise from both Israel and Hamas. He said the first phase of the deal includes a six-week ceasefire and the release of the most vulnerable hostages.
"We are close, we just have to finish it," he said.
The meeting comes a day after Netanyahu urged Congress in an address to both the House and Seante to continue to stand with Israel in the war against Hamas.
It's Mr. Biden's first with a foreign leader since he exited the race for the presidency Sunday and threw his support to Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
Mr. Biden welcomed Netanyahu to the Oval Office, where the prime minister thanked the president for his decades of service.
"I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead on the great issues before us," Netanyahu said.
Mr. Biden said he was also looking forward to it.
Harris will be meeting with Netanyahu separately later Thursday, the White House said.
The vice president did not attend Netanyahu's speech, citing previously scheduled travel. She was in Texas Thursday morning, addressing the American Federation of Teachers. A number of Democrats in Congress declined to attend Netanyahu's congressional address, a gesture of disapproval toward Netanyahu's handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
As Netanyahu spoke, pro-Palestinian protesters swarmed Union Station near the Capitol. Protesters removed the American flags that fly over Union Station, replacing them with Palestinian flags.
In his address to Congress, Netanyahu attacked pro-Palestinian protesters in the U.S., calling them "Iran's useful idiots."
"Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming, 'Gays for Gaza,'" Netanyahu said. "They might as well hold up signs saying, 'Chickens for KFC.' These protesters chant, 'From the river to the sea,' but many don't have a clue what river and what sea they're talking about."
Responding to the "useful idiots" remark, Kirby said it's "not a phrase we would use."
Netanyahu is facing growing backlash at home over his handling of the war with Hamas. The families of hostages held in Gaza have been calling on Netanyahu to make a deal to bring back their loved ones. There have been daily protests in Jerusalem, and a group of top former Israeli security and political officials also sent a blistering letter to U.S. congressional leaders this week, accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing his own political survival over that of the hostages, Israel's security, as well as the region.
Mr. Biden and Netanyahu will also discuss the conflict between Lebanon and Israel, the need for stability in the West Bank and countering Iran and its proxy groups, Kirby said.
The two leaders will then meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Administration officials regularly meet with this particular group of families, a senior administration official told reporters.
This will be the first time Mr. Biden and Netanyahu will be seeing each other in person since the president visited Israel in October, in the wake of Hamas' attack on Israel.
