Over his a long time in energy, Netanyahu has made not less than two dozen official journeys to the US, assembly and typically clashing with American officers.
Regardless of Israel’s standing as a key U.S. ally — or, maybe, due to it — Netanyahu has boldly and brazenly challenged a number of U.S. presidents.
July 1996: ‘Who’s the … superpower right here?’
President Invoice Clinton held his first official assembly with Netanyahu in Washington in July 1996. After that dialogue, wherein the Israeli prime minister reportedly lectured his U.S. counterpart on the Israeli-Palestinian challenge, an exasperated Clinton remarked privately to his aides, “Who the f— does he assume he’s? Who’s the f—ing superpower right here?” in accordance with a memoir by veteran U.S. diplomat Aaron David Miller.
March 2010: ‘The sort of step that undermines the belief we’d like’
Simply hours after then-Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Israel to reaffirm assist for Washington’s closest regional ally, the Israeli authorities introduced plans for 1,600 new housing items for Jews in East Jerusalem. This awkwardly timed announcement got here only a day after Israel and the Palestinians agreed to U.S.-mediated, oblique peace negotiations. In response, Biden left Netanyahu ready for an hour and a half earlier than dinner as his staff crafted a press release. Launched through the meal, Biden’s assertion was notably sturdy for one directed at a detailed ally. He used the phrase “condemn” and said that the announcement’s “substance and timing” represented “exactly the sort of step that undermines the belief we’d like proper now.”
Might 2011: Netanyahu ‘lectures’ Obama
On Might 19, 2011, President Barack Obama referred to as for a two-state answer with borders primarily based on the 1967 traces, with mutually agreed swaps. The subsequent day, after a closed-door dialogue on the White Home, Netanyahu publicly rebuffed Obama, declaring {that a} peace primarily based on “illusions” would crash on the “rocks of Center Jap actuality” and that Israel couldn’t return to the “indefensible” 1967 borders. Obama discovered Netanyahu’s tone condescending and dismissive, The Washington Publish reported, and he reportedly informed an aide that Netanyahu had “peed on my leg.”
Eight years later, throughout a reelection marketing campaign, Netanyahu referenced that encounter, sharing a clip from the PBS Frontline documentary “Netanyahu at Warfare.” The clip featured a narrator stating, “This time, Bibi Netanyahu would lecture Barack Obama, taking a tough line on the peace course of.” Netanyahu posted the video on Fb in 2019, writing, “Within the face of all stress, I’ll defend our nation.”
March 2015: Netanyahu addresses Congress
The connection between Netanyahu and the Obama administration took an additional hit when the Israeli prime minister addressed a joint assembly of the Republican-led Congress on the invitation of a Republican speaker, with out consulting the White Home prematurely. From the rostrum, Netanyahu spoke on Iran’s nuclear program — in what some White Home officers noticed as an try and undermine the U.S. president and U.S. negotiations with Tehran. Washington had been for a number of years negotiating a complete deal to forestall Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
November 2020: ‘Bibi may have stayed quiet’
President Donald Trump and Netanyahu loved a robust, loyal and private alliance throughout Trump’s time period.
However the relationship rapidly soured after Trump misplaced the election to Biden in 2020 and the previous accused Netanyahu of too rapidly congratulating his opponent. “The primary individual that congratulated [Biden] was Bibi Netanyahu, the person that I did extra for than every other particular person I handled. … Bibi may have stayed quiet. He has made a horrible mistake,” Trump later informed Axios journalist Barak Ravid. “I haven’t spoken to him since,” the outlet quoted Trump as saying in late 2021. “F— him.”
However Ravid this month reported that Netanyahu and his staff have been working to win Trump again.
March 2024: ‘A “come to Jesus” assembly’
Biden, a staunch supporter of Israel, has identified Netanyahu for 4 a long time, sustaining an extended however complicated friendship. “Bibi, I really like you. I don’t agree with a rattling factor you say,” Biden as soon as wrote on {a photograph} of the 2, which he stated Netanyahu has saved on his desk.
The battle in Israel that broke out in October has highlighted the complexity of their relationship. Biden has tried to stability assist for Israel with stress from some Democrats to cease arming Israel due to the rising civilian toll in Gaza.
In a sizzling mic second, Biden was recorded telling politicians, “I informed him, Bibi … you and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ assembly.” When alerted to the recent mic, Biden responded, “Good, that’s good.”
Netanyahu later commented, “If it means having a heart-to-heart dialog, we’ve had that loads of instances over the 40 years I’ve identified Joe Biden and through the 12 or 13 conversations for the reason that battle started.”
June 2024: ‘Withholding weapons and ammunitions’
America is by far the biggest arms provider to Israel — together with greater than $6.5 billion in safety help to Israel since Oct. 7.
In June, Netanyahu claimed the Biden administration was “withholding weapons and ammunitions” — a declare that the White Home rejected. White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded bluntly in a information convention: “We genuinely have no idea what he’s speaking about.”
Amid stress, the Biden administration in Might suspended the supply to Israel of two forms of giant weapons — 2,000 pound bombs and 500-pound bombs. Nevertheless it resumed a cargo of 500-pound bombs by July.
As he departed for Washington on Monday, Netanyahu stated his journey could be a chance to thank Biden “for the issues he did for Israel within the battle and through his lengthy and distinguished profession in public service.”
