Netanyahu's meeting with Biden in Washington remains unconfirmed
It has been reported that the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, who has contracted COVID-19, scheduled for July 23 at the White House during Netanyahu's first trip abroad since October 7, has not yet been confirmed.
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According to a report by Barak Ravid on the Israeli news site Walla, Israeli Prime Minister's Office sources stated that they have not received confirmation from the White House for the Netanyahu-Biden meeting planned for July 23 and are awaiting a response. US sources indicated that the meeting, which was delayed due to Biden contracting COVID-19, "depends on the President's quarantine ending."
It is stated that Netanyahu's team is attempting to arrange an appointment with the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, during the Prime Minister's first trip abroad since October 7 and his first visit to Washington in four years.
Amid the political storm in the US—where Trump survived an assassination attempt and Biden was forced to withdraw from the presidential race due to his deteriorating health—it is assessed that Netanyahu will attempt to influence American public opinion during his speech to Congress regarding the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza caused by Israel's attacks over the past 9 months.
HOSTAGE RELATIVES PREPARE TO PROTEST
In the face of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the accusations of "genocide" against his country at the International Court of Justice, and his own name being linked to "war crimes" at the International Criminal Court, Netanyahu's speech to the US Congress on July 24 is expected to be boycotted by about 100 Democratic Party representatives.
Outside of Congress, relatives of hostages in the Gaza Strip, who have joined anti-Netanyahu government Israeli groups in the US, are preparing to protest Netanyahu's Washington contacts in the streets.
Netanyahu's decision to send his Mossad-led delegation to Doha on Thursday for negotiations with Hamas was met with a backlash from the families of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, who accused the "Prime Minister of avoiding a deal for political reasons."
The Biden administration in the US had been in a difficult position between publicly supporting Tel Aviv in the face of Israel's attacks that have led to a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and criticizing Netanyahu and his administration behind closed doors. Netanyahu had opposed the Biden administration's decision to halt the shipment of heavy-tonnage bombs to Israel.
Netanyahu is accused by the Israeli and international public of not making a hostage exchange deal with Hamas for political reasons.
Negotiations between the parties have been ongoing for a long time to stop the attacks Israel launched on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.