ALBAWABA - In a recent diplomatic exchange, U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in a phone conversation, during which President Biden asserted that he did not formally propose a ceasefire.
Netanyahu to Biden "Israel would continue the war until all of its goals have been achieved"Reports suggest that Israel sought to relocate residents of Gaza to Egypt, a proposal met with lukewarm reception from the U.S. Mounting pressure surrounds President Biden's stance on Gaza, with little progress observed in mitigating civilian-targeted attacks by Israel.
President Biden, however, remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the call, affirming, "Our discussions were held in confidence. I did not make any plea for a ceasefire." According to undisclosed details reported by The Washington Post, Netanyahu appealed to Biden to exert pressure on Egypt for the resettlement of a portion of Gazans. President Biden reportedly responded, indicating that Egypt did not view this as a viable option.
This appeal was not limited to the U.S., as Netanyahu similarly approached French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, both of whom reportedly rebuffed the request.
Beyond the ceasefire matter, the U.S. and Israel diverge on the future of Gaza. While the Biden administration envisions Palestinians returning to evacuated areas post-conflict, Netanyahu is purportedly resistant to this proposal, expressing a preference for what is deemed an "indefinite occupation
