President Biden stated on Thursday that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel were on their way to a “come-to-Jesus meeting” regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This was revealed in an audio clip of the president’s remarks shared on social media on Friday.
The increasing tensions between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu in recent weeks have been highlighted as the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to rise. President Biden has been facing political pressure both domestically and internationally to take more action to push Israel towards agreeing to a cease-fire.
President Biden had expressed optimism in recent days about securing a six-week cease-fire deal before Ramadan, which is set to begin in a few days. However, negotiations between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of vulnerable hostages taken during the October 7 attack in Israel have reached a standstill, hampering progress towards a permanent cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
When questioned by reporters on Friday about the possibility of reaching a deal before Ramadan, President Biden admitted, “It’s looking tough.”
The president’s earlier “come-to-Jesus” remarks were captured on a hot microphone during what he believed was a private conversation with Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado after the State of the Union address.
In the conversation, Senator Bennet urged the president to continue advocating for humanitarian aid to Gaza amidst Israel’s conflict with Hamas. President Biden mentioned, “I told him, ‘Bibi’ — and don’t repeat this — but ‘you and I are going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting,'” referring to the prime minister by his nickname.
Upon being informed by an aide that his microphone was still on, President Biden jokingly remarked, “I’m on a hot mic here? Good. That’s good.”
President Biden had used his prime-time address to Congress to urge Israel to minimize civilian casualties and increase the flow of aid into Gaza. The conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties and displacement of residents.
While President Biden supported Israel’s right to respond to Hamas’ actions on October 7, the ongoing civilian toll in Gaza has sparked international outrage. Calls for the United States to leverage its influence with Israel to achieve a cease-fire have grown louder.
President Biden’s speech aimed to address concerns from left-leaning Democrats and Arab Americans, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing humanitarian assistance and saving innocent lives in Gaza.
Before boarding Air Force One, President Biden responded to questions about his comments to Senator Bennet, playfully stating, “I didn’t say that in the speech.” When pressed further about the remarks, he quipped, “You guys are eavesdropping on things.”
