Axios reported that US President Joe Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a "difficult" phone call between them on Thursday, to stop escalating tensions in the region, following the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr. One US official said that Biden warned Netanyahu that if he escalated again, he should not rely on the United States to save him.
Axios quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that Biden raised his voice during the call and told Netanyahu that he wanted him to reach an agreement within a week or two.
A source familiar with the matter told the website that the US president told Netanyahu that the region is currently at a turning point and that every effort needs to be made to end the war in Gaza and achieve regional stability, even if the agreement is not ideal.
In contrast, the website quoted Netanyahu’s office as saying that the Israeli prime minister assured Biden that he is only working according to Israel’s security requirements. His office reported that "Prime Minister Netanyahu told President Biden that he appreciates the American support, and as Prime Minister of Israel he acts solely according to the security needs of the State of Israel."
Meanwhile, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that great tension dominated a meeting Netanyahu held with the Israeli negotiating team on Wednesday.
The head of the Shin Bet internal security service, Ronen Bar, was quoted as saying to Netanyahu during the meeting, “We feel that you are sending us to negotiate, and then you are making changes to the outlines of the deal.”
Meanwhile, The New York Times published a dramatic editorial declaring "Netanyahu has Gone Rogue", and explaining that by "Ignoring the condemnation of allies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is forcing the pace of the war and feeding the revolt of the far right."
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