Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Biden on Sunday and thanked the American leader for his “lifelong support” for the state of Israel, the White House said in a readout of the call.
“The Prime Minister thanked the President for his lifelong support of Israel and for the extraordinary support from the United States for Israel’s security and national defense,” the White House said.
President Biden, who has repeatedly described himself a “Zionist,” has been a staunch supporter of Israel throughout his political career and provided an unprecedented amount of military aid to Israel since October 7, 2023, which enabled the genocidal war in Gaza and other escalations across the region.
From October 7, 2023, to October 7, 2024, the Biden administration provided Israel with more military aid in a single year than any other US administration in history. Despite the massive support, Netanyahu had repeatedly complained that the US was shipping weapons too slowly.
During the call on Sunday, which came just eight days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, Biden and Netanyahu also discussed the prospects of a hostage and ceasefire deal.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on the call: “The Prime Minister discussed with the American President the progress in the negotiations to release our hostages and updated him on the mandate he gave to the negotiating team to Doha in order to advance the release of our hostages.”
The statement added: “Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump for cooperating in this sacred mission.”
During previous rounds of negotiations, Netanyahu sabotaged the chances of a deal by adding new demands. While reports say that a deal is now close, Netanyahu has also made clear he doesn’t want a permanent ceasefire.
