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Biden reaffirms support for Israeli self-defense against Iran in call with Netanyahu

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was also part of the call, according to a White House readout.

Joe Biden phone
U.S. President Joe Biden participates in a call with 11 world leaders about Ukraine on Oct. 3, 2023, in the Treaty Room of the White House. Adam Schultz/Official White House Photo.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday and “reaffirmed” American support for the Jewish state’s security, after Hezbollah rained rockets on northern Israel and Iran vowed it would avenge assassinated Hamas leadership.

Biden told Netanyahu that the United States supports Israel “against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” per a White House readout, which noted that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was also on the call.

The U.S. president “discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive U.S. military deployments,” and “stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region,” the readout added.

“This political environment could discourage congressional committee staff and federal agency personnel from pursuing investigations or enforcement actions involving antisemitism,” Karen Paikin Barall of the Brandeis Center told JNS.
“They get social credit within their political bases in terms of talking about settler violence and and taking up the side of the Palestinians on issues between them and Israel,” Rafael Mangual of the Manhattan Institute told JNS.
The U.S. envoy also said antisemitism “didn’t exist” during his upbringing and warned of an unintended clash between Israel and Turkey.
“There is not, and there will not be, a Palestinian state,” the Israeli prime minister pledged. He also called for the corruption trial against him to be dropped.