Netanyahu to meet Biden and Harris at crucial moment for US and Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to make a long-awaited White House visit to meet President Joe Biden and likely Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, at an important moment for all three politicians.

Mr Netanyahu’s White House visit on Thursday, his first since before Donald Trump left office in 2020, comes at a time of growing pressure on all three to find an end game to the nine-month war that has left more than 39,000 dead in Gaza.

Dozens of Israeli hostages and the remains of others who have died are also still in Hamas captivity.

Mr Biden is pressing to get Israel and Hamas to seal his proposal to release remaining hostages in Gaza over three phases — something that would be a legacy-affirming achievement for the 81-year-old Democrat, who abandoned his re-election bid this week and endorsed Ms Harris.

It could also be a boon for Ms Harris in her bid to succeed him.

White House officials say the negotiations are in the closing stages but there are issues that need to be resolved.

After their talks, Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu will meet the families of US hostages.

Ms Harris, who will later meet Mr Netanyahu separately, is trying to demonstrate she has the mettle to serve as commander in chief.

She is also being scrutinised by those on the political left who say Mr Biden has not done enough to force Mr Netanyahu to end the war and by Republicans looking to brand her as insufficient in her support for Israel.

A senior administration source said there is “no daylight between the president and vice president” on Israel.

Ms Harris’s last one-on-one engagement with Mr Netanyahu was in March 2021, but she has taken part in more than 20 calls between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu.

Mr Netanyahu is trying to navigate his own delicate political moment.

He faces pressure from the families of hostages demanding a ceasefire to bring their loved ones home and from far-right members of his governing coalition who demand he resist any deal that could keep Israeli forces from eliminating Hamas.

Mr Netanyahu, in a fiery address before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, defended Israel’s conduct during the war and lashed out against accusations by the International Criminal Court of Israeli war crimes.

He made the case that Israel, in its fight against Iran-backed Hamas, was effectively keeping “Americans boots off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East”.

The Israeli leader spent little time discussing the ongoing negotiations.

“Remember this: our enemies are your enemies,” he told American legislators. “Our fight, it’s your fight. And our victory will be your victory.”

Mr Netanyahu used his speech to praise Mr Biden for his administration’s support after the October 7 attack on Israel.

But he also noted action that Mr Trump took during his four years in office that benefitted Israel, including recognising its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, confronting Tehran’s aggression and moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.