Biden, Harris meet Netanyahu as U.S. urges ‘compromise’ on Gaza ceasefire deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met separately astatine nan White House Thursday pinch President Joe Biden and apt Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris to talk nan ongoing unit successful Gaza and nan anticipation of securing a cease-fire deal.

Netanyahu’s first White House sojourn since 2020 comes a time aft he gave a fiery reside to Congress and astatine a clip of increasing unit successful Israel and nan U.S. to find an endgame to nan nine-month conflict that’s near much than 39,000 dormant successful Gaza and immoderate 1,200 dormant successful Israel. Dozens of Israeli hostages are still languishing successful Hamas captivity.

Harris said successful remarks aft what she called a “frank and constructive meeting” pinch nan Israeli leader that she supports Israel’s correct to take sides itself, but said, “how it does truthful matters.”

She expressed interest complete nan “devastating” humanitarian business successful Gaza and images of civilians killed successful nan conflict, saying, “We cannot look distant successful nan look of these tragedies.”

She echoed Biden successful calling for a swift cease-fire to extremity nan fighting, astatine slightest for a time, to boost humanitarian assistance to Gaza and merchandise immoderate of nan astir susceptible hostages from Hamas captivity.

White House officials opportunity nan negotiations are successful nan closing stages, but location are issues that request to beryllium resolved.

“The gaps are closable,” White House nationalist information spokesperson John Kirby said. He added, “But it’s going to require, arsenic it ever does, immoderate leadership, immoderate compromise.”

Harris met pinch Netanyahu successful her ceremonial agency successful nan Eisenhower Executive Office Building. She is besides expected to property him connected securing a woody to merchandise nan hostages kidnapped during Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught connected Israel that launched nan war.

“We person a batch to talk about,” Harris said arsenic she welcomed nan Israeli leader. “We do indeed,” he replied.

Thousands protested Netanyahu’s sojourn successful Washington, and Harris condemned those who were convulsive aliases utilized rhetoric that praised Hamas.

Netanyahu, past astatine nan White House erstwhile erstwhile President Donald Trump was successful office, is headed to Florida connected Friday to meet pinch nan Republican statesmanlike nominee.

The blimpish Likud Party leader Netanyahu and centrist Democrat Biden person had ups-and-downs complete nan years. Netanyahu, successful what will apt beryllium his past White House gathering pinch Biden, reflected connected nan astir 40 years they’ve known each different and thanked nan president for his service.

“From a proud Jewish Zionist to a proud Irish American Zionist, I want to convey you for 50 years of nationalist work and 50 years of support for nan authorities of Israel,” Netanyahu told Biden astatine nan commencement of their meeting.

A U.S.-backed connection to merchandise remaining hostages successful Gaza complete 3 phases is thing that would beryllium a legacy-affirming accomplishment for Biden, who abandoned his reelection bid and endorsed Harris. It could besides beryllium a boon for Harris successful her bid to win him.

Following their talks, Biden and Netanyahu met pinch nan families of American hostages.

For Harris, nan gathering pinch Netanyahu is an opportunity to show that she has nan mettle to service arsenic commandant successful chief. She’s being scrutinized by those connected nan governmental near who opportunity Biden hasn’t done capable to unit Netanyahu to extremity nan conflict and by Republicans looking to marque her arsenic insufficient successful her support for Israel.

A elder management official, who briefed reporters connected nan information of anonymity nether crushed rules group by nan White House, said location is “no daylight betwixt nan president and vice president” connected Israel. Harris’ past one-on-one engagement pinch Netanyahu was successful March 2021, but she’s taken portion successful much than 20 calls betwixt Biden and Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is trying to navigate his ain delicate governmental moment. He faces unit from nan families of hostages demanding a cease-fire statement to bring their loved ones location and from far-right members of his governing conjugation who request he defy immoderate woody that could support Israeli forces from eliminating Hamas.

In his reside to a associated convention of Congress connected Wednesday, Netanyahu offered a robust defense of Israel’s behaviour during its subject violative successful Gaza and lashed retired against accusations by nan International Criminal Court of Israeli warfare crimes. He made nan lawsuit that Israel, successful its conflict against Iran-backed Hamas, was efficaciously keeping “Americans boots disconnected nan crushed while protecting our shared interests successful nan Middle East.”

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“Remember this: Our enemies are your enemies,” Netanyahu said. “Our fight, it’s your fight. And our triumph will beryllium your victory. ”

Netanyahu utilized his reside to praise Biden for his administration’s support successful nan aftermath of nan Oct. 7 attack. But he besides noted action that Trump took during his 4 years successful agency that benefited Israel, including recognizing Israel’s sovereignty complete nan Golan Heights, confronting Iran’s aggression and moving nan U.S Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Netanyahu derided protesters who massed adjacent nan U.S. Capitol connected Wednesday, calling them Iran’s “useful idiots.”

Harris connected Thursday said she was outraged that immoderate protesters tagged areas adjacent nan U.S. Capitol pinch pro-Hamas graffiti, expressed support for nan militants, and burned a U.S. emblem astatine Union Station.

“Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it successful our nation,” Harris said successful a statement. “I condemn nan burning of nan American flag. That emblem is simply a awesome of our highest ideals arsenic a federation and represents nan committedness of America. It should ne'er beryllium desecrated successful that way.”

Protesters massed adjacent nan White House connected Thursday chanted, “Arrest Netanyahu,” and brought successful an effigy of nan premier curate pinch humor connected its hands and wearing an orangish jumpsuit. A mini number of counter-protesters wore Israeli flags astir their shoulders.

Trump and his Republican friends criticized Harris, who had events successful Indiana and Texas connected Wednesday, for skipping Netanyahu’s reside to Congress. The vice president is nan president of nan Senate and would typically co-preside complete specified an arena pinch nan House speaker, Republican Mike Johnson. White House officials said that her absence wasn’t a flimsy and was solely owed to scheduling conflicts.

Sen. JD Vance, nan Republican vice statesmanlike nominee, besides skipped nan reside to campaign. Biden, arsenic vice president, skipped an reside Netanyahu made to Congress successful 2015.

Harris has agelong spoken of her beardown support for Israel. The first overseas travel of her Senate profession successful early 2017 was to Israel, and 1 of her first acts successful agency was to present a solution opposing a U.N. Security Council solution condemning Israel.

She’s besides spoken of her individual ties to Israel, including memories of raising money arsenic a kid to works trees successful Israel, installing a mezuzah adjacent nan beforehand doorway of nan vice president’s residence successful Washington (her hubby is Jewish) and her connections to pro-Israel groups including nan blimpish American Israel Public Affairs Committee and nan wide J Street.

Harris has mostly been successful lockstep pinch Biden passim nan conflict, but astatine moments she’s been a front-runner for tougher Biden management rhetoric connected Israel.

She utilized a high-profile reside successful March successful Selma, Alabama, a time earlier she met pinch Netanyahu rival and Israeli warfare furniture personnel Benny Gantz to decry Palestinians “starving” successful nan look of “inhumane” conditions and to impulse Israel to do much to alleviate civilian suffering successful Gaza.

AP writer Ashraf Khalil contributed reporting.