US President Joe Biden is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House this Thursday, according to a US official. This meeting, the first with a foreign leader since Biden announced he would not seek reelection, comes as both leaders are navigating significant challenges.
Biden, who has been recovering from COVID-19 at his Delaware beach house, plans to return to Washington on Tuesday. His meeting with Netanyahu follows the Israeli Prime Minister’s address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday. The leaders are expected to discuss potential cease-fire strategies between Israel and Hamas terrorists in Gaza alongside other pressing issues like Iran.
This pivotal engagement also precedes a separate meeting between Netanyahu and Vice President Kamala Harris, who Biden has endorsed as his successor for the Democratic presidential nomination. A Harris aide indicated that she would emphasize the need for a resolution to the Gaza conflict that ensures Israel’s security, the release of all hostages, and addresses the suffering of Palestinian civilians.