Page 22 - Benjamin Netanyahu

US policy to change if Netanyahu fails to protect Gaza civilians: Biden

Washington is Israel's top weapons supplier and the Biden administration has mostly provided a diplomatic shield for it at the United Nations

'Outraged, heartbroken': Biden blames Israel as strike kills 7 aid workers

Outraged over the killing of seven foreign nationals in an Israel strike, the White House has squarely blamed Israel and sternly asked it to stop casualties in its war against Hamas

Israeli strike destroys Iran's consular building in Damascus, kills several

An Israeli airstrike destroyed the consular section of Iran's embassy in Syria, killing a senior Iranian military adviser and several others, Syrian officials and state media said on Monday. The strike appears to signify an escalation of Israel's targeting of Iranian military officials and their allies in Syria, which have intensified since Hamas militants - who are supported by Iran - attacked Israel on October 7. Israel, which rarely acknowledges such strikes, said it had no comment. The attack killed Iranian military adviser Gen. Ali Reza Zahdi, who led the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016, according to the Iranian Arabic-language state television channel Al-Alam and pan-Arab television station Al-Mayadeen, which has reporters in Syria. Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari condemned Israel and said as many as seven people were killed. First responders were still searching for bodies under the rubble. Akbari said two police officers who guard the building were ...

Israel PM Netanyahu calls for law for closure of foreign news networks

Netanyahu has promised to "immediately act to close Al Jazeera" after the law is passed

Israelis rally in anti-govt protest since Gaza war, urge hostages' release

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem on Sunday in the largest anti-government demonstration since the country went to war in October. They urged the government to reach a deal to free dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and to hold early elections. Nearly six months of war have renewed divisions in Israeli society. The Hamas militant group killed some 1,200 people during its cross-border attack on October 7, and took 250 others hostage. Roughly half the hostages were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November, but repeated attempts by international mediators to broker another cease-fire deal have failed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages home. But those goals have been elusive. While Hamas has suffered heavy losses, it remains intact, and hostages' families believe time is running out. After six months, it seems like the government understands that Bibi Netanyahu is an ..

Hamas rejects latest cease-fire proposal, says Israel ignoring key demands

Hamas has rejected the latest cease-fire proposal, accusing Israel of ignoring its core demands, which include an end to the war and a full withdrawal from Gaza. In a statement late Monday, the militant group said it had informed mediators that it was sticking to its original position, conveyed earlier in March. It said Israel had not responded to its core demands of a comprehensive cease-fire, an (Israeli) withdrawal from the Strip, the return of displaced people and a real prisoner exchange. The statement came shortly after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire and the release of all hostages held in Gaza. The vote provoked a clash between Israel and the United States, which decided not to use its veto power Monday. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a high-level delegation's planned visit to Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Hamas' demands, calling them delusion

Netanyahu cancels US trip in protest against UN's call for Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a planned visit to Washington by a high-level delegation to protest Monday's U.N. Security Council decision calling for an immediate cease-fire. The resolution passed 14-0 after the U.S. decided not to use its veto power and instead abstained. Netanyahu accused the U.S. of retreating from what he said had been a principled position by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas. The Israeli delegation was to present White House officials with plans for an expected ground invasion of the strategic Gaza town of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinian civilians have sought shelter from the war.

Here's why Israel is determined to launch offensive against Hamas in Rafah

Israel is determined to launch a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost town, a plan that has raised global alarm because of the potential for harm to the hundreds of thousands of civilians sheltering there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel can't achieve its goal of total victory against Hamas without tackling Rafah. Israel has approved military plans for its offensive. But with 1.4 million Palestinians jammed into the town, Israel's allies, including the US, have demanded greater care for civilians in its anticipated incursion. Most of those Palestinians have been displaced by fighting in other parts of Gaza and are living in densely packed tent camps or crammed into apartments. Netanyahu is sending a delegation to Washington to present the administration with its plans. WHY RAFAH IS SO CRITICAL Since Israel declared war in response to Hamas' deadly cross-border attack on October 7, Netanyahu has said a central goal is to destroy the Islamic gr

Deeply concerned about prospective Israeli operation in Rafah: Biden

US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. During his telephonic conversation with Biden on Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said at his daily press conference on Monday. This was the first time in a month that the two leaders spoke on phone. Sullivan said Biden and Netanyahu spoke at length about Rafah. "The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said. More than a

Netanyahu to send officials to Washington to discuss prospective Rafah ops

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss with Biden administration officials a prospective Rafah operation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. We've arrived at a point where each side has been making clear to the other its perspective, Sullivan said. The White House has been sceptical of Netanyahu's plan to carry out an operation in the southern city of Rafah, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, as Israel looks to eliminate Hamas following Hamas' deadly Oct 7 attack. The development comes as President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke, their first interaction in more than a month, as the divide has grown between allies over the food crisis in Gaza and Israel's conduct during the war, according to the White House. The call comes after Republicans in Washington and Israeli officials were quick to express outrage after Senate Majority Leader Chuck

Israel PM Netanyahu hits back against growing criticism from top ally US

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as wholly inappropriate. In recent days, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had lost his way. President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer's good speech," and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza. Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and denounced Schumer's comments as inappropriate. We're not a banana republic," he said. The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they'll elect, and it's not something that will be foisted on us. When asked by CNN whether he would

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel to press on with Rafah assault plan

He later said after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Jerusalem that Israel would not leave civilians trapped in Rafah when its forces begin their assault

Netanyahu says Israel won't stop until 'total victory' is achieved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed on Sunday against growing criticism from the United States against his leadership amid the devasting war with Hamas, saying the pressure won't stop Israel from achieving total victory. In recent days, top officials from the US, Israel's staunchest ally which has provided key military and diplomatic support during the war, have publicly voiced their frustration with Netanyahu and his government. US President Joe Biden accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, then called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had lost his way. Biden then expressed support for what he called Schumer's good speech. The US also has expressed concerns about a planned Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering,

NSA Ajit Doval, Netanyahu discuss war in Gaza, humanitarian assistance

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on Monday to discuss regional developments and the urgent need to address the issue of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Prime Minister posted on X from his official handle. The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance, he said. Doval also met his Israeli counterpart Tzakhi Hanegbi, who was also present during the meeting with Netanyahu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly in touch with the important leaders in the region, such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and is actively involved in discussions to promote peace and stability in the region. India has supported efforts to provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the ...

Biden cajoles Netanyahu with tough talk but Israeli PM remains dug in

US President Joe Biden has stepped up public pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, warning he's hurting Israel and speaking candidly about come to Jesus conversations with the leader over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite Biden's increased displays of frustration, Israeli officials and Middle East analysts say no signs are emerging that Biden can push Israel, at least in the short term, to fundamentally alter how it's prosecuting the conflict that is entering a new dangerous phase. He has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, Biden said of Netanyahu in an MSNBC interview. 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's hurting Israel more than helping Israel. The president had hoped to have an extended cease-fire in place by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is set to begin Monday. Biden ...

Netanyahu hurting Israel by not preventing more deaths in Gaza: Biden

US President Joe Biden said Saturday that he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hurting Israel more than helping Israel in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza. The US leader expressed support for Israel's right to pursue Hamas after the October 7 attack, but said of Netanyahu that he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. Biden has for months warned that Israel risks losing international support over mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, and the latest remarks in an interview with MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart pointed to the increasingly strained relationship between the two leaders. Biden said of the death toll in Gaza, it's contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it's a big mistake. Biden said a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering, is a red line for him, but said he would not cut off weapons like the Iron Dome ...

Harris to meet Israeli official in Washington despite Netanyahu's rebuke

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday is hosting a member of Israel's wartime Cabinet who is visiting Washington in defiance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival of Netanyahu, is sitting down with several senior Biden administration officials this week, including Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser. President Joe Biden is at Camp David, the presidential retreat just outside Washington, until Tuesday. An official from Netanyahu's far-right Likud party said Gantz did not have approval from the prime minister for his meetings in Washington and that Netanyahu gave the Cabinet official a tough talk underscoring the widening crack within Israel's wartime leadership nearly six months into the Israel-Hamas war. In her meeting with Gantz, Harris plans to press for a temporary cease-fire deal that would allow for the release of several categories of hostages being held by ...

Netanyahu rival's visit to US highlights cracks within Israel's leadership

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked a top Cabinet minister arriving in Washington on Sunday for talks with US officials, according to an Israeli official, signalling widening cracks within the country's leadership nearly five months into its war with Hamas. The trip by Benny Gantz, a centrist political rival who joined Netanyahu's wartime Cabinet following Hamas' October 7 attack, comes as friction between the US and Netanyahu is rising over how to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and what the postwar plan for the enclave should look like. An official from Netanyahu's far-right Likud party said Gantz's trip was planned without authorization from the Israeli leader. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu had a tough talk with Gantz and told him the country has just one prime minister. Gantz is scheduled to meet on Monday with US Vice President Kamala Harris and national security adviser Jake Sullivan and on Tuesday with Secretary of St

Israeli attendance unclear as Gaza talks look ready to stumble: Report

Progress toward a pause in fighting has been stalled for weeks as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bristled at Hamas conditions he termed 'delusional'

Deeply shocked, says India on killing of over 100 in northern Gaza

India on Friday said it is "deeply shocked" at the loss of lives in northern Gaza during the delivery of humanitarian aid, a day after more than 100 people were killed and over 700 injured in an incident. In a strongly-worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for "extreme concern". "We are deeply shocked at the loss of lives in northern Gaza yesterday during delivery of humanitarian assistance," the MEA said. "Such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for extreme concern," it added. India also called for safe and timely delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to the people of Gaza. "We reiterate our call for safe and timely delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance," the MEA said. There was no reference to Israel in the statement. More than 100 people were killed and over 700 injured when Israeli troo