Days after the war in Gaza began, President Biden said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to maintain America’s unwavering support for Israel while preventing civilian deaths and accommodating Palestinian concerns.
In his final television interview of his presidency, Mr. Biden spoke with MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell, during which he also discussed his political career and presidency. The interview, which aired Thursday night, was recorded this morning.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the 15-month war that began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas led a deadly attack on Israel. Most of Gaza’s approximately 2 million residents have been displaced at least once, and many of their homes have been destroyed.
President Biden and other leaders announced a temporary ceasefire agreement Wednesday, raising hopes that Israel’s military offensive against the Gaza Strip will end. According to the agreement to stop fighting, some hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip will be released.
The president and his advisers have struggled for months to negotiate an end to the conflict. President Biden, who put ceasefire talks on the table in May, said on MSNBC that he had repeatedly told Netanyahu that “we have to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns” of the Palestinians. Although he called Prime Minister Netanyahu a friend, he said, “We have been having a lot of disagreements lately.”
Critics, including some hostage families who have called for a ceasefire, have accused Netanyahu of deliberately delaying negotiations to prolong the conflict. Mr. Biden did not answer directly when asked whether he thought Mr. Netanyahu had done so. He said the Israeli prime minister came under political pressure from the Israeli right and was sometimes forced “to do things that I think are counterproductive.”
To achieve a cease-fire agreement, President-elect Donald J. Trump and President-elect Biden have instructed their advisers to work together. Mr. Biden said in an interview Thursday that he had not had any discussions with Mr. Trump about negotiations in the past two weeks.
Mr. Biden recalled that he first urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to prevent civilian deaths during a visit to Israel 10 days after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Mr. Biden said he had told the Prime Minister that the United States would do so. He supports Israel, but “you can’t bomb this community.”
Israel’s bombing campaign has been one of the most intense in 21st century warfare, with Israel sometimes using inaccurate bombs.
In the interview, Mr. Biden defended his steadfast support for Israel throughout the conflict.
“Just when Iran thought they were going to blow Israel off the map, they were pointing thousands of missiles in their direction,” he said. “Well, what do you think? We didn’t let that happen.”
