Biden asserts that Netanyahu needs to address the ‘legitimate concerns’ of the Palestinian people

Outgoing Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden stated on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “must find a way to address the legitimate concerns” of Palestinians to ensure the long-term viability of Israel.

Biden emphasized, “The notion that Israel can maintain its sustainability in the long run without addressing the Palestinian issue… is unrealistic.” In an interview with MSNBC, he noted that he will be transferring power to Republican President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.

He added, “I have consistently reminded my friend, and he is indeed a friend, even though we have not seen eye to eye recently, Bibi Netanyahu, that he needs to find a way to address the legitimate concerns of a significant group of people known as Palestinians, who currently lack a place to live independently.”

Biden has faced backlash from various human rights advocates regarding his military and diplomatic backing of Israel amid its military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and allegations of war crimes and genocide, claims that Israel has denied.

While Biden has occasionally criticized Netanyahu, he has continued to express strong support for Israel. On Thursday, Washington indicated that it anticipated a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to be implemented on Sunday. The recent escalation in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.

Israel’s recent military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 46,000 Palestinians, as reported by the local health ministry. This conflict has led to the displacement of nearly the entire population and has triggered a severe hunger crisis.

For many years, the United States has supported a two-state solution aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, existing alongside Israel.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserts that Israel must maintain security control over all territories west of the Jordan River, which effectively rules out the possibility of a sovereign Palestinian state. The International Court of Justice has declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the settlements established there are illegal.