Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israel is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election

President Joe Biden has spoken some brief words to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he does not know whether the Israeli leader is blocking a peace deal to influence the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden had short words for it Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Fridayand said he did not know whether the Israeli leader was blocking a peace deal to influence the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.

“No administration has helped Israel more than I have,” Biden said. “None. None, none. And I think Bibi should remember that. And I don’t know whether he is trying to influence the elections, but I don’t count on that.”

Biden, in a rare appearance in the White House news conference room, responded to comments from one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned that Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal, partly because of American politics.

Israel has made progress on two fronts, pursuing a ground invasion of Lebanon against Hezbollah that killed eight Israeli soldiers and launching attacks in Gaza that killed dozens of people, including children. And the nation has vowed to take revenge Iran’s ballistic missile attack this week, as the region braced for further escalation.

Biden said no decision has yet been made on the type of response to Iran.

“I assume that when they make a decision about how they’re going to respond, we’ll have a discussion,” he said.