What's happened
On October 9, 2024, President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke for the first time in weeks amid rising tensions following an Iranian missile attack on Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned of a severe Israeli response, while Biden's administration seeks to manage the escalating conflict without direct involvement.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Netanyahu's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, issued a stark warning about Israel's impending response to Iran, stating, 'Whoever attacks us will be hurt and will pay a price.' This sentiment reflects the heightened tensions following Iran's missile attack on Israel. Meanwhile, the New York Times notes that Biden's relationship with Netanyahu has soured, with Biden opting to call Israel's president instead of Netanyahu on the anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks. This indicates a significant shift in diplomatic dynamics, as Biden's administration seeks to navigate the complexities of the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon while managing relations with Israel. The postponement of Gallant's trip to Washington further underscores the strained ties, as it was delayed at Netanyahu's request to prioritize discussions with Biden.
How we got here
The conversation comes after a series of military escalations between Israel and Iran, including an Iranian missile attack on October 1, 2024. Tensions have been exacerbated by Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, leading to strained relations between Biden and Netanyahu.
More on these topics
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Yoav Galant is an Israeli politician and former commander of the Southern Command in the Israel Defense Forces. In January 2015, he entered politics, joining the new Kulanu party.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Gaza may refer to: