Biden and Netanyahu Hold ‘Productive’ Talks, Says White House

The White House reported that US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had “productive” discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday regarding Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack from last week.

“President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke this morning. Vice President Harris also participated in the call,” a statement stated, noting that a readout would be made available later.

After the call, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described it as “direct,” “honest,” and “productive,” stating that it lasted roughly thirty minutes.

Following the attack in Iran last week, there have been discussions between the US and the Israeli government. “Those conversations with the prime minister and the president went on,” Jean-Pierre stated.

“We’re going to continue to have those discussions with Israel on how they’re going to respond.”

While she wouldn’t elaborate, she did say that more information would be available in the call transcript.

The call, which was the first between Biden and Netanyahu since August 21, a span of seven weeks during which Israel also initiated an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, coincides with tensions between the two leaders.

A strike on Iran’s oil installations would cause oil prices to spike less than a month before the US presidential election, so Biden has warned Israel not to try to target the country’s nuclear program.

As reported by The New York Times, Biden informed Netanyahu in July that “the perception of Israel around the world increasingly is that you’re a rogue state, a rogue actor,” which is detailed in a new book by seasoned journalist Bob Woodward.