By Jeff Mason
PARIS (Reuters) – The White House declined to say on Sunday whether he would become president Joe Biden will meet Benjamin Netanyahu when the Israeli prime minister visits Washington next month to address the US Congress.
“I have nothing to announce today,” Biden’s national security adviser said Jake Sullivan said in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” adding that the two men were in regular contact.
‘He’s coming to address Congress. The president talks to him all the time,” Sullivan said.
Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on July 24. Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza, but there have been tensions between the two men over Israel’s handling of the war.
Biden, who is running for re-election in November, has faced criticism from his left-wing political base for his support for Israel as the Palestinian death toll from Israel’s attack rises.
Sullivan said he hoped that by the time Netanyahu came to Washington, a ceasefire and hostage agreement would be in place. Hamas must simply say yes to the proposal on the table, he said.
Biden, who returns to the United States from France later on Sunday, has welcomed the rescue by Israeli forces of four hostages held by Hamas and pledged to continue working until all hostages are released and a ceasefire is reached.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
