Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Politico that he doesn’t know exactly what President Biden meant when he asserted that Netanyahu’s policies were hurting Israel more than helping. However, if Biden was suggesting “that I’m pursuing private policies against the wish of the majority of Israelis and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he is wrong on both counts.” [SDJW staff]

In a conversation with Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, on the floor of the House of Representatives, a “hot microphone” picked up President Biden telling the senator that he had told Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that they needed to have a “Come to Jesus” conversation — which is slang for a blunt conversation — over the issue of humanitarian aid to Gaza. [SDJW report]

President Joe Biden announced to a Joint Session of Congress assembled for his State of the Union speech on Thursday night that he has “directed the military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean off the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.” [SDJW staff]

President Biden said the situation will be “very, very dangerous” if a ceasefire deal for Gaza cannot be concluded before the Muslim month of Ramadan, which begins Sunday, March 10. “It’s in the hands of Hamas right now,” Biden said. [SDJW staff]