Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to make a long-awaited White House visit to meet with President Joe Biden and likely Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at an important moment for all three politicians.
Mr Netanyahu’s White House visit on Thursday, his first since before President Donald Trump left office in 2020, comes at a time of growing pressure on all three to find an endgame to the nine-month war that has left more than 39,000 dead in Gaza.
Dozens of Israeli hostages and the remains of others who have died are also still languishing in Hamas captivity.
Mr Biden is pressing to get Israel and Hamas to seal his proposal to release remaining hostages in Gaza over three phases — something that would be a legacy-affirming achievement for the 81-year-old Democrat, who abandoned his re-election bid and endorsed Ms Harris.
It could also be a boon for Ms Harris in her bid to succeed him.
White House officials say that the negotiations are in the closing stages but there are issues that need to be resolved.
Following their midday talks, Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu will meet the families of American hostages.
Ms Harris, who will meet separately with Mr Netanyahu later, is trying to demonstrate that she has the mettle to serve as commander in chief.
She is also being scrutinised by those on the political left who say Mr Biden has not done enough to force Mr Netanyahu to end the war and by Republicans looking to brand her as insufficient in her support for Israel.
A senior administration official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said there is “no daylight between the president and vice president” on Israel.
Ms Harris’ last one-on-one engagement with Mr Netanyahu was in March 2021, but she has taken part in more than 20 calls between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu.
Mr Netanyahu, meanwhile, is trying to navigate his own delicate political moment.
He faces pressure from the families of hostages demanding a ceasefire agreement to bring their loved ones home and from far-right members of his governing coalition who demand he resist any deal that could keep Israeli forces from eliminating Hamas.
Mr Netanyahu, in a fiery address before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, offered a robust defence of Israel’s conduct during the war and lashed out against accusations by the International Criminal Court of Israeli war crimes.
He made the case that Israel, in its fight against Iran-backed Hamas, was effectively keeping “Americans boots off the ground while protecting our shared interests in the Middle East”.
The Israeli leader spent scant time discussing the ongoing negotiations.
“Remember this: Our enemies are your enemies,” Mr Netanyahu told American legislators. “Our fight, it’s your fight. And our victory will be your victory.”
Mr Netanyahu used his speech to praise Mr Biden for his administration’s support in the aftermath of the October 7 attack on Israel.
But he also went out of his way to note action that Donald Trump during his four years in office took that benefited Israel, including recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, confronting Iran’s aggression and moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
