An Israeli official has accused the Biden administration of seeking to undermine Prime Minister Netanyahu after a US report cited “distrust” in his ability to govern.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence Report said Netanyahu’s “viability as leader may also be at risk.”
The report, released Monday, also said the US expects major protests demanding Netanyahu’s resignation and elections in the coming months.
In a comment seen by Axiosa senior official released a statement saying: “Those who choose the Prime Minister of Israel are the citizens of Israel and no one else.
“Israel is not a puppet state of the US, but an independent and democratic country whose citizens are the ones who choose the government.”
President Joe Biden has shown his frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – over the two men who met in Tel Aviv in October
President Biden has stepped up his rhetoric in recent weeks about Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack.
His government has become increasingly unhappy with the rising number of civilian casualties in Gaza, now more than 30,000, as a result of bombings and ground operations.
The Israeli official’s statement added: “We expect our friends to take action to overthrow the terrorist regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel.”
Biden has repeatedly criticized Israel’s heavy-handed approach, calling it “over the top” and pushing for a ceasefire to help starving civilians.
After the State of the Union, he was caught on a hot microphone telling Democratic colleagues he planned to hold a “come to Jesus” meeting with Netanyahu.
The rift between the two has raised questions about whether Biden could limit military aid if Israel continues a ground offensive in Gaza.
Any decision by Biden, who has called himself a “Zionist,” to crack down on Israel would run counter to his decades-long history as a staunch supporter of the country.
Netanyahu hit back at Biden on Monday morning, laying out his own red line in Gaza.
Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, on October 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv
A man walks past signs with photos of hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel
Palestinian children hold a representative funeral for their 10-year-old peer Yezen Al-Kfarna, who died of malnutrition, and protest against famine
Speaking to ‘Fox and Friends’ he told the newspaper: ‘Look, it’s Israel or Hamas. There is no middle ground. I mean, we have to get that win.
‘We can’t get a three-quarter victory. We cannot achieve two-thirds of a victory because Hamas will regroup with these four battalions in Rafah, retake the Gaza Strip and repeat the October 7 massacre again and again.
“And for us, Israel, not only for me, but for the people of Israel, that is a red line. We cannot let Hamas survive.”
Biden initially backed Netanyahu as his strongest backer, supporting his war aims to destroy Hamas and arguing that a ceasefire would only give the group a chance to rearm and reorganize.
But as other world leaders take a harder line against Israel, Biden has seen the left of his own party revolt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv’s Kirya on December 17, 2023
On Saturday, he warned Netanyahu that his approach was undermining Israel’s own interests and outlined a red line.
“(Netanyahu) has the right to defend Israel, the right to continue to pursue Hamas,” he told MSNBC in an interview.
“But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives that are being lost as a result of the actions taken.
“He is, in my opinion, hurting Israel more than he is helping Israel by making the rest of the world… it is against what Israel stands for. And I think it’s a big mistake.’
The president was asked if there was a “red line” to his support for Israel, such as the invasion of the city of Rafah.
“It’s a red line, but I will never leave Israel,” he said, refusing to halt military sales to Israel.
Asked about possible restrictions on weapons, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that he would not get involved in “hypothetical matters” and that news reports about Biden’s thinking on the issue were “uninformed speculation.”