US President Joe Biden ruled out the possibility that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to exploit the ongoing war in Gaza for political gains. Biden stated, "(Netanyahu) is trying to solve a serious problem he has," without providing further details. When asked by a journalist at the White House if he believed Netanyahu was "exploiting the war for political purposes," Biden replied, "I don't think so." However, according to an interview he gave to "Time" magazine published today, Biden mentioned that Netanyahu might be stalling the end of the war in Gaza for political reasons.
The interview took place on May 28, just days before Biden announced a detailed proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and coincides with Netanyahu facing deep political divisions at home. When asked if he thought Netanyahu was prolonging the war for his own political agenda, Biden said, "There are all the reasons for people to draw such a conclusion."
Biden, who is pushing for an end to the ongoing war that has lasted nearly eight months, expressed that the commission of war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza is something "that has not been confirmed." He rejected claims that Israel is resorting to starving civilians as a method of warfare but stated, "I think they have engaged in inappropriate activity." He noted that he warned Israel against making the mistake that the US made after the September 11, 2001 attacks, which led to "endless wars." He said, "They are making that mistake."
