The highly-anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may not take place as Biden recovers from COVID-19, according to a source in the Prime Minister’s office.
Netanyahu, who will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, was scheduled to meet with Biden on Tuesday but canceled because the president has still not tested negative for COVID-19, according to the source.
Biden has made no public appearances since he dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday. His doctor released a letter on Monday stating that most of his COVID-19 symptoms have “almost resolved completely” and that he is continuing to perform his presidential duties.
The meeting would’ve been the first time Biden hosted the Jewish State’s leader in the White House since Netanyahu was reelected in 2022.
Relations between Biden and Netanyahu have grown tense in recent years over Biden’s opposition to Israeli judicial reform and criticisms of some Israeli Defense Forces strategies to defeat Hamas in Gaza.
In June, Netanyahu released a video accusing the Biden administration of holding up weapons shipments.
“We appealed to our American friends to speed up the shipments,” said Netanyahu, “We did it time and time again. We did this at the senior echelons, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize — we did it in private chambers. We got all kinds of explanations, but we didn’t get one thing: The basic situation didn’t change.”
The White House disputed Netanyahu’s accusations, claiming only heavy bombs were withheld.
“We have made our position clear on this repeatedly, and we aren’t going to keep responding to the Prime Minister’s political statements,” a White House official said, according to the Times of Israel.
Netanyahu is also expected to meet with Harris, though she declined to preside over his joint address to Congress, according to Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke.
The prime minister told the press upon departing Israel Monday that he was seeking to “anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel.”
“I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless of who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America’s indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East,” he said.
Netanyahu is seeking an in-person meeting with former President Donald Trump, but has yet to have one concretely scheduled, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
Following Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, Netanyahu expressed his desire to thank Biden for helping Israel during the war and throughout his career.
“I plan to see President Biden, whom I’ve known for over 40 years,” Netanyahu said. This will be an opportunity to thank him for the things he did for Israel in the war and during his long and distinguished career in public service, as Senator, as Vice President, and as President.”
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[[{“value”:”
The highly-anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may not take place as Biden recovers from COVID-19, according to a source in the Prime Minister’s office.
Netanyahu, who will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, was scheduled to meet with Biden on Tuesday but canceled because the president has still not tested negative for COVID-19, according to the source.
Biden has made no public appearances since he dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday. His doctor released a letter on Monday stating that most of his COVID-19 symptoms have “almost resolved completely” and that he is continuing to perform his presidential duties.
The meeting would’ve been the first time Biden hosted the Jewish State’s leader in the White House since Netanyahu was reelected in 2022.
Relations between Biden and Netanyahu have grown tense in recent years over Biden’s opposition to Israeli judicial reform and criticisms of some Israeli Defense Forces strategies to defeat Hamas in Gaza.
In June, Netanyahu released a video accusing the Biden administration of holding up weapons shipments.
“We appealed to our American friends to speed up the shipments,” said Netanyahu, “We did it time and time again. We did this at the senior echelons, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize — we did it in private chambers. We got all kinds of explanations, but we didn’t get one thing: The basic situation didn’t change.”
The White House disputed Netanyahu’s accusations, claiming only heavy bombs were withheld.
“We have made our position clear on this repeatedly, and we aren’t going to keep responding to the Prime Minister’s political statements,” a White House official said, according to the Times of Israel.
Netanyahu is also expected to meet with Harris, though she declined to preside over his joint address to Congress, according to Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke.
The prime minister told the press upon departing Israel Monday that he was seeking to “anchor the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel.”
“I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless of who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America’s indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East,” he said.
Netanyahu is seeking an in-person meeting with former President Donald Trump, but has yet to have one concretely scheduled, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
Following Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, Netanyahu expressed his desire to thank Biden for helping Israel during the war and throughout his career.
“I plan to see President Biden, whom I’ve known for over 40 years,” Netanyahu said. This will be an opportunity to thank him for the things he did for Israel in the war and during his long and distinguished career in public service, as Senator, as Vice President, and as President.”
“}]]
