( JTA ) — WASHINGTON — Heading into a White House meeting to discuss how to proceed in the wake of Hamas’ murder of six Israeli hostages, President Joe Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not doing enough to free the remaining captives held in Gaza.
Biden made the statement on Monday in response to a question from a reporter as he descended from his helicopter and entered the White House. He was meeting there with negotiators pushing for a ceasefire deal that would free the hostages and with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.
He answered “No” to the question of whether Netanyahu was doing enough, according to a pool report. Asked about reports that he was preparing to offer a final “take it or leave it” deal to Israel and Hamas, he said, “We’re very close to that.”
A White House statement after the meeting with negotiators said Biden remained committed to closing the gaps between Israel and Hamas.
“During the meeting, President Biden and Vice President Harris received an update from the U.S. negotiation team on the status of the bridging proposal outlined by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt,” the statement said. “They discussed next steps in the ongoing effort to secure the release of hostages, including continuing consultations with co-mediators Qatar and Egypt.”
Talks have foundered in part over Israel’s continued presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, the strip of land between Gaza and Egypt that Hamas has used to smuggle arms. Hamas wants a total Israeli pullout, and Netanyahu insists on maintaining a substantive presence there.
Israel’s security establishment, led by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reportedly favors agreeing to a deal, and says that the army could contain Hamas smuggling on the border without a substantive presence.
Biden may have more leverage to press Netanyahu into compromise: The country came to a standstill as workers across industries temporarily striked in protest of their government not agreeing to a ceasefire deal, and as people grieved the killing of six hostages believed to be alive until shortly before Israeli rescuers arrived. Hamas terrorists shot each hostage as the Israelis moved in.
Netanyahu stuck to his positions in an extended press conference including powerpoint maps, and said Israel would not compromise on the Philadelphi corridor. And he said that he did not believe Biden meant to chide Israel, listing a number of statements from top officials in recent weeks praising Israel for accepting U.S. proposals.
“After those murders,” he said referring to the six hostages, “I don’t think someone serious will come and say ‘You must do more concessions, you are not serious, Hamas is serious.’ I don’t believe Biden said this.”
Biden had also commented on Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, who buried their son, Hersh, an Israeli American among the slain hostages, in Jerusalem on Monday.
Biden said he had spoken to the parents. “I spoke to his mom and dad, and we’re not giving up,” he said. “We’re going to continue to push as hard as we can.”
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