Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday rejected US President Joe Biden’s rebuke of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Netanyahu said that the majority of Israelis supported him and said, “If he meant by that that I’m pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he’s wrong on both counts”.
“They support the action that we’re taking to destroy the remaining terrorist battalions of Hamas,” he said, referring to plans for a ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
The comment came after the US President Joe Biden in an interview with MSNBC has accused Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu of “hurting Israel ” through his administration’s treatment of Palestinians.
Biden added that Netanyahu was making a “big mistake” by not doing enough to protect civilians.
“But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. He’s hurting, in my view, he is hurting Israel more than helping Israel … it’s contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it’s a big mistake,” he added.
Israel’s offensive has been widely criticised amid fears of mass civilian casualties.
Ramzan ceasefire?
Biden had also warned Israel that if it planned to invade Rafah, it would further strain the relation between Washington and Israel. He reiterated that the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages.
Meanwhile, the Israeli PM’s poll ratings have plummeted as the people have accused him of not wanting to take responsibility for the security forces failing to prevent the massacre.
Over 1,200 people have died during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7.
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 67,000 injured by the war launched by Israel in response, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
