US President Joe Biden, who has recently become increasingly critical of the way Israel is conducting the war against Hamas militants in Gaza, while the number of Palestinians killed is increasing, said in an interview with "Time" magazine that there are "reasons" to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dragging out the conflict to save himself politically.
As the war approaches eight months, the Israeli leader is facing different demands regarding his country's approach to Gaza. On the one hand President Biden and other world leaders who have asked him to end the conflict and on the other hand right-wing lawmakers in the Israeli parliament who have warned to topple his government if Mr. Netanyahu agrees to the ceasefire, without completely eliminating Hamas control in Gaza.
Last week, Mr. Biden made public a proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza and urged world leaders to support it. But Hamas has yet to respond to the plan, and since it became public, Mr. Netanyahu has appeared reserved in his statements about the proposal. During the interview held a few days ago, "Time" magazine asked President Biden if he believed that Mr. Netanyahu was dragging out the fight to survive politically.
"There are reasons that lead you to that conclusion," President Biden said in the interview published Tuesday.
President Biden admitted that he and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have had tense relations since the number of dead in Gaza has exceeded 36,000 people, including civilians and militants. They differ on the role of a reformed Palestinian Authority in governing Gaza after the war, a plan supported by the United States but rejected by Mr. Netanyahu, who has not offered a plan of his own.
“My biggest disagreement with Netanyahu over what happens after the war in Gaza ends? Where will it go? Are the Israeli forces going back there?", were some of the questions raised by Mr. President Biden during his interview.
"If that's going to happen, then my answer is, this thing can't work," he added.