The Biden-Harris administration has privately warned of “very low” trust in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s regime following several Israeli strikes the U.S. was not warned about, Axios reported Tuesday.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan reportedly told Israeli officials that the U.S. expects “clarity and transparency” about Israel’s plans, specifically regarding any retaliation against Iran for last week’s missile attack.
“Our trust of the Israelis is very low right now and for a good reason,” one U.S. official told the outlet.
The report comes after weeks of the Biden-Harris administration growing more and more willing to criticize Netanyahu’s regime. They have repeatedly stated that they support Israel’s right to defend itself, however.
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Vice President Kamala Harris wouldn’t say whether she thought the administration had influence over Netanyahu in an interview this week.
CBS’ Bill Whitaker asked Harris about why Netanyahu seemed to be “charting his own course,” despite the billions of dollars of military aid the U.S. has provided to Israel. “Does the U.S. have no sway over Prime Minister Netanyahu?” he asked.
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“The aid that we have given Israel allowed Israel to defend itself against 200 ballistic missiles that were just meant to attack the Israelis and the people of Israel. And when we think about the threat that Hamas, Hezbollah presents, Iran, I think that it is without any question, our imperative to do what we can to allow Israel to defend itself against those kinds of attacks,” Harris responded.
“Now the work we do diplomatically with the leadership of Israel is an ongoing pursuit around making clear our principles, which include the need for humanitarian aid, the need for this war to end, the need for a deal to be done which would release the hostages and create a ceasefire. And we’re not going to stop in terms of putting that pressure on Israel and in the region, including Arab leaders,” Harris responded.
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Harris later declined to say whether the U.S. has a “close ally” in Netanyahu. She instead stated that the American people and the Israeli people share an “important alliance.”
Despite U.S. efforts to push for a cease-fire, tensions in the region only continue to rise. One year after the Oct. 7 massacre, Israel is now engaged in a multi-front conflict with Hamas to the south and Hezbollah to the north.