US President Joe Biden said Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might still agree to some sort of Palestinian state, after the two leaders spoke for the first time in over a month amid tensions over the Gaza conflict.
Their call came a day after Netanyahu indicated he opposes allowing Palestinian autonomy in the aftermath of the fight with Hamas, deepening Israeli differences with major ally Washington over the conduct of Israel’s offensive and the next steps.
Despite Netanyahu’s words, Biden stated after the call that it was not impossible for Netanyahu to agree to some form of the so-called two-state solution, which has been proposed for decades as a method to settle Middle East hostilities.
“There are a number of types of two-state solutions. There’s a number of countries that are members of the UN that… don’t have their own militaries,” Biden told reporters after an event at the White House.
“And so, I think there’s ways in which this could work.”
Asked what Netanyahu was open to, Biden replied: “I’ll let you know.”
Biden and Netanyahu, who have a convoluted relationship dating back 40 years, last spoke on December 23, and their quiet since has raised concerns about a rupture.
Following the October 7 assaults on Israel, Netanyahu promised to destroy Hamas and demilitarize Gaza, and he is becoming increasingly hostile to US pressure for a plan that involves any sort of Palestinian independence that could endanger Israel.
The Israeli prime minister stated on Thursday that his country “must have security control over all the territory west of the Jordan (River)” and that he has informed Israel’s “American friends” of this.
“This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty,” Netanyahu said in public remarks.
‘Promise and possibility’
The White House previously stated that Biden raised the problem with Netanyahu during their conversation, but that the call was not in direct response to the Israeli’s remarks.
“The president still believes in the promise and possibility of a two-state solution” for both Israelis and Palestinians, said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
He stated that the call also discussed US prisoners who are still being held captive by Hamas following the October 7 attack on Israel.
Biden and Netanyahu have frequently clashed in the past, with the Democratic US president last year pressuring the right-wing Israeli prime minister over contentious judicial reforms.
However, Biden has consistently supported Israel since October 7, even traveling to the nation following the assaults to publicly embrace Netanyahu and offer complete US support.
However, as the toll of Israel’s offensive on Gaza has risen, Biden has warned that Israel risks losing support by “indiscriminate bombing” and is advocating for a two-state solution.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Israel would not have “genuine security” unless there was a “pathway to a Palestinian state.”
The October 7 assaults killed around 1,140 persons in Israel, the majority of them were civilians, according to an AFP assessment based on Israeli data. Militants also kidnapped approximately 250 hostages, 132 of whom Israel claims remain in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s ongoing air and ground offensive has killed at least 24,762 Palestinians, with women, young children, and teenagers accounting for approximately 70%.