President Joe Biden sat down with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House on Tuesday as the U.S. leader prepares to leave office in less than three months with no apparent end to the fighting in the Middle East in sight.
The Oval Office meeting also coincided with the deadline set by the Biden administration last month for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face a potential decrease in military support from the U.S. – a benchmark aid organizations argued Tuesday that the country had not met.
Biden started Tuesday’s sit down reiterating his “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security, telling Herzog they share a “deep friendship.”
The Israeli president praised Biden – who is closing out his more than five-decade-long political career – for being an “incredible friend of Israel and the Jewish people for decades.”
“We will never forget, ever, in history, how you stood up with us in our darkest hour, which became our finest hour,” Herzog told the Biden, “how you came to Israel a few days after the barbaric attack of Oct. 7, how you helped us and supported us with words and deeds.”
Herzog went on to present the U.S. leader with a gift, describing it as an archeological artifact from the foot of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem bearing the word “Joseph,” Biden’s full first name.
“You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist,” Biden responded.
The more than one-year-old war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, has hung over the past year of Biden’s presidency as some in the Democratic party push back on his administration’s support for Israel as the civilian death toll surged and the humanitarian crisis worsened amid the its retaliatory campaign in the Palestinian territory.
Biden, along with Egypt and Qatar, have been pushing for months to work out a new ceasefire deal that would secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas to no avail.
U.S. leaders expressed optimism that Israel’s killing last month of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar took away a significant obstacle to reaching a deal. But Sinwar’s killing has not appeared to have made a difference in that regard thus far and multiple outlets reported that key negotiator Qatar has suspended its role in ceasefire talks until both sides show a commitment to getting an agreement in place.
“I know that you’re working very hard to make sure that this war will end and that there will be first and foremost security for the people of Israel as well as for the people of Lebanon,” Herzog told Biden on Tuesday, before acknowledging the “101 hostages” that have been held by Hamas for “over 400 days.”
He said they are “actively seeking” their safe return home “day in and day out.”
It comes as eight international aid organizations on Tuesday argued that not only had Israel failed to meet the benchmarks laid out by the U.S. last month to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip but that conditions had worsened.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin penned a letter last month in which they warned Israel that it could face tighter restrictions on U.S. military support for the country if it did not step up efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, such as getting more food and other aid into the territory. The 30-day deadline they set was officially hit today. Thus far, it is unclear what comes next.
Meanwhile, sighting between Israel and Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon has also accelerated in recent weeks after months of efforts by the U.S. to keep the conflict between Israel and Hamas from spreading throughout the volatile region.
Herzog on Tuesday started his remarks with Biden by noting the news that two Israelis were killed in rockets attacks coming from Lebanon just hours before the pair sat down at the White House.
“This is what we’re going through from Lebanon, Mr. president,” Herzog said.
The Israeli president went on to assert that “it all starts with Tehran,” referring to the Iranian capital city and calling the country an “empire of evil.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah along with other groups such as the Houthis are backed by Iran. Tehran and Israel have directly exchanged attacks recently as well.
Herzog on Tuesday said countering Iran has to be a “major objective” of the rest of Biden’s term and “the next term of the next president,” as former President Donald Trump is set to take office in January.
Trump, a steadfast supporter of Israel amid the fighting in the Middle East, is expected to continue his support for the country, despite receiving blowback on the campaign trail with comments about Jewish voters who oppose him.
Multiple outlets reported that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s highest-ranking leader, have spoken on the phone multiple times since the 2024 election was called for the former president.
Trump on Tuesday announced he would be nominating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel.