Given the increasing tensions between the US and Israel over the Gaza War, Biden prefers to save face during Netanyahu’s visit.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
As calls increase within US President Joe Biden’s own party urging him to abandon his re-election bid, Biden is reportedly delaying dropping out until after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to avoid giving him “the satisfaction,” as reported by The New York Times.
Given the increasing tensions between the US and Israel over the Gaza War, Biden prefers to save face during Netanyahu’s visit and may postpone the announcement that he will leave the race until after the Israeli premier leaves.
According to an Axios report, Biden, although angered by calls for him to drop the race, was beginning to accept he would have to step back and was considering bowing out over the weekend.
However, advisors recommended that Biden delay dropping out until after Netanyahu’s visit to avoid giving him “the satisfaction” given their conflicts over the war.
The meeting at the White House scheduled between Trump and Biden, which would be the first since 2022, depends on Biden’s recovery from COVID.
Last week, Biden announced he had tested positive for COVID and was isolating in his residence in Maryland.
Republican representatives invited Netanyahu to address Congress on the subject of the war in Gaza, and many Progressives have threatened to boycott the speech to protest Israel’s conduct during the war.
Although Biden was supportive of Israel in the early days of the war and even became the first US President to visit Israel during a war, in recent months, conflict between the two leaders has increased.
President Biden has criticized Israel over the reported and unverified number of casualties in Gaza, the distribution of humanitarian aid, and the Rafah operation, which led the Biden Administration to withhold bomb shipments to Israel temporarily.
Following Biden’s poor debate performance on June 27th, his many gaffes, and additional signs of decreased mental acuity and severe speech problems, an increasing number of Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries, have asked Biden to step out of the race.