Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would defy President Joe Biden’s “red line” on a potential Rafah invasion as tensions between the two leaders continue to escalate, according to Axel Springer, the parent company of Politico.
After announcing additional humanitarian aid to Gaza during his State of the Union address, Biden told MSNBC that if Israel was to invade Rafah, a city in Gaza holding displaced Palestinians, it would be a “red line.” Netanyahu, however, indicated in an interview with Axel Springer that he would be ignoring Biden’s warning on a potential invasion of Rafah. (RELATED: Biden Reportedly Pushing Israel Not To Attack Hezbollah After Dealing With Hamas)
“We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave them. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again,” Netanyahu told the outlet.
Netanyahu added that he had the support of some anonymous Arab leaders on his potential military move as Israel battles the terrorist organization Hamas in its war, Axel Springer reported.
“They understand that, and even agree with it quietly,” Netanyahu told the outlet. “They understand Hamas is part of the Iranian terror axis.”
Though the latest public dispute between Netanyahu and Biden adds to growing tension between the leaders, White House officials told Politico Playbook they are allowing Netanyahu to “vent.” They believe, the White House officials told Politico Playbook, that the criticism is about applying pressure on Hamas to strike a hostage deal, rather than embarrassing Biden.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) greets US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
As war in the Middle East has dragged on, Netanyahu and Biden have reportedly had several disagreements. Biden hung up on Netanyahu in December after a heated phone call about the Palestinian tax revenue dispute, sources told Axios. The president has reportedly called Netanyahu an “asshole” in at least three different incidents, three people familiar with the president’s comments told NBC News in February. Following the reports, a National Security Council spokesperson told NBC News that Biden and Netanyahu have a “respectful relationship,” though the president lets the prime minister know when he disagrees.
The president reportedly voiced criticism of Netanyahu in January during an event, a supporter who was present at the event told NBC News.
“He did say Bibi started off great, but ‘he’s been a pain in my ass lately’ or ‘he’s been killing me lately’ — one of those things,” the person who was present for Biden’s comments told NBC News. “He goes, ‘But he’s doing a disservice … of late.’”