Netanyahu Celebrates Biden’s Longstanding Support During White House Visit

During a meeting at the White House on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended U.S. President Joe Biden for his “50 years of support for the state of Israel.” This meeting came after Netanyahu addressed Congress amid significant pro-Palestinian protests outside the Capitol.

Netanyahu, who has been acquainted with Biden for four decades, highlighted Biden’s longstanding relationship with Israeli leaders, noting, “From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish-American Zionist, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the state of Israel.” He expressed eagerness to collaborate with Biden on critical issues in the coming months.

The meeting also addressed key regional concerns, with U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby noting discussions on a potential hostage release deal, preventing conflict spillover into Lebanon, countering Iranian threats, and the necessity for “compromises” in peace negotiations.

Netanyahu’s visit to Washington comes as he faces growing pressure to end the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, now in its ninth month. His speech to Congress on Wednesday sought to bolster U.S. political support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, asserting, “Our enemies are your enemies,” while referring to protesters as “Iran’s useful idiots.” The White House, through Kirby, distanced itself from this characterization, emphasizing respect for the “mostly peaceful” nature of the protests.

As thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators voiced their opposition outside the White House, Netanyahu’s itinerary included a planned meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee after Biden announced he would not seek re-election. Netanyahu is also set to visit Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Friday.