As Joe Biden was speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, senior Biden administration officials were talking down Netanyahu and Israel in leaks to the media.
“I don’t think they had a strategy,” the senior administration official said. “The Israelis don’t always make the best strategic decisions.”
Some top U.S. officials are concerned Israel could do something quickly in response to Iran’s attacks without thinking through potential fallout afterward, according to a senior administration official and a senior defense official, according to an NBC report.
Earlier last week, Biden threatened Netanyahu over aid to Israel over its conduct in Gaza trying to defeat Hamas.
“President Biden spoke by telephone with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed the situation in Gaza. President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable,” a White House statement issued earlier this month said.
“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps. He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the Prime Minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home. The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people. President Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.”
