Netanyahu ignored warnings not to openly criticize Biden – report

Israeli Prime Minister reportedly brushed off warnings by government ministers and staffers who urged him not to directly challenge Biden over withholding of weapons during wartime.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored warnings from advisors and government ministers who urged him not to publicly confront the Biden administration over its withholding of military aid from the IDF during its ongoing war against the Hamas terror organization, Israel’s Channel 13 News reported Wednesday evening.

According to the report, Netanyahu met with a number of senior Israeli officials before he green lighted the release of a video statement criticizing the Biden White House.

Among the officials consulted were Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Both Hanegbi and Dermer advised Netanyahu to hold off on releasing the video until after the two held a meeting at the White House, slated for Thursday.

Other senior officials also urged the prime minister not to release the video statement.

While the Israeli leader has largely avoided public attacks against the White House, on Tuesday Netanyahu released a video statement disclosing details of his conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during Blinken’s recent visit to Israel.

Netanyahu said the two had a “candid” conversation regarding the ongoing war and disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington, adding that he had expressed his frustrations with the Biden administration’s decision to hold back military aid to Israel.

” I said it’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel,” Netanyahu said.

Publicly, the Biden administration expressed surprise, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying the administration “genuinely” does not “know what he is talking about.”

However, Israeli and American officials told Axios that the White House was outraged by the video, issuing a sharp personal rebuke, delivered by envoy Amos Hochstein, and cancelling a planned meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials regarding Iran.