The White House has declined to say whether President Joe Biden will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to Washington next month. Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on July 24.

“I don’t have anything to announce today,” said Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “He’s coming to address the Congress. The president talks to him all the time.”

Despite Biden’s support for Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza, tensions have arisen between the two men over Israel’s conduct in the war. Biden, who is running for reelection in November, has faced criticism from his left-leaning political base over his support for Israel.

Sullivan said he hopes that a ceasefire and hostage deal will be in place by the time Netanyahu visits Washington, emphasizing that Hamas must simply agree to the proposal on the table. Biden, who returns to the United States from France later today, has welcomed the rescue of four hostages held by Hamas and vowed to continue working towards the release of all hostages and a ceasefire.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)