Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden on Saturday about the ongoing escalation in violence between Israel and terrorists in the Gaza Strip and said the IDF was doing everything possible to avoid harming civilians, according to an Israeli statement on the call.
Separately, Netanyahu, after his call with Biden, suggested on television late Saturday local time that Israel’s operation will continue until it achieves its goals.
“Our aim is to send Hamas a message that it’s not worth sending rockets next time they want,” he said. “We will deal with them and no one should take the law into their own hands.”
Biden, for his part, said he was worried about the safety of journalists in the conflict zone, after Israel demolished a Gaza tower where foreign journalists had offices. The IDF had warned occupants that it was going to demolish the tower, which it said was used as a Hamas intel HQ.
Biden reiterated his support for Israel’s right to self-defense against rocket attacks from the militant group Hamas in Gaza and condemned attacks in towns and cities in Israel, according to a readout released by the White House.
“The President noted that this current period of conflict has tragically claimed the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children,” the readout said. “He raised concerns about the safety and security of journalists and reinforced the need to ensure their protection.”
The president also stressed his support for “steps to enable the Palestinian people to enjoy dignity, security, freedom,” as part of a two-state solution.
The conversation, reportedly initiated by Biden, was the second between the two leaders this week.
Netanyahu told Biden that Israel “is doing everything to avoid harming” those who aren’t involved with Hamas and that “those not involved” were evacuated from the 12-story building in the Gaza Strip that housed the offices of The Associated Press and Al Jazeera. Three Israeli heavy missiles collapsed the building on Saturday.
The president also spoke with Abbas about tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank and their shared interest in making Jerusalem “a place of peaceful coexistence for people of all faiths and backgrounds.”
“The President also underscored his strong commitment to a negotiated two-state solution as the best path to reach a just and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” according to a readout from that call.
The extraordinary conflagration in Israel and the Gaza Strip has evolved into an urgent early test for Biden’s foreign policy. The president was working in the Oval Office for a periodd of time on Saturday. He usually works from Camp David or his home state of Delaware during weekends.
