Joe Biden’s stark warning to Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel will lose global support due to ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza

US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's military strategy in Gaza. Biden's comments emphasised the risk of losing global support due to Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing”.

Biden highlighted the initial global backing for Israel following the Hamas attacks on October 7, which killed 1,200 people in Israel. But, opinions are apparently shifting.

"But they're starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place," AFP quoted Biden as saying.

The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas, reported over 18,400 fatalities. Most of them are civilians killed in Israeli bombardment.

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Biden's remarks represent a departure from his earlier reluctance to categorise Israeli actions as "indiscriminate". However, in a subsequent news conference, Biden moderated his statements. He reiterated the need to support Israel in response to the October 7 brutality. However, he also stressed the importance of safeguarding innocent Palestinians.

In his comments, Biden also addressed the historical context. He spoke about Netanyahu's comparison of the current situation with Allied actions during World War II. Biden countered this. The US president apparently told his Israeli counterpart that international institutions had been set up after the war "to see to it that it didn't happen again". He also acknowledged past “mistakes” by the United States after the 9/11 attacks.

The conversation then shifted to the future of the Israeli government and its stance on the two-state solution.

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"He's a good friend, but I think he has to change, and, with this government, this government in Israel is making it very difficult for him to move," the US president said while labelling the Netanyahu government the "most conservative” in Israel's history.

Netanyahu’s response

Netanyahu, responding to Biden's remarks, acknowledged disagreements over the post-conflict governance in Gaza. He expressed hope for a consensus but remained firm on avoiding past mistakes, citing the Oslo Accords as a reference.

(With AFP inputs)