The White House welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s response to U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement on Israel’s judicial reform plan, while downplaying the part rebuking the U.S. leader.
“There’s a lot to like about it. He [Netanyahu] talked about searching for compromise. He talked about working toward building consensus with respect to these potential judicial reforms. He talked about how unshakable he knows the relationship is between the United States and Israel. And he talked about his great respect for President Biden—that’s a respect that president Biden shares as well,” said National Security Council Communications Coordinator John Kirby at a press briefing.
In a statement issued following Biden’s call on Tuesday for Netanyahu to “walk away” from his coalition’s reform effort, the Israeli leader thanked the Democrat for his support for the Jewish state and reaffirmed the “unbreakable” bond between the two countries.
Netanyahu reiterated his message on Wednesday at the virtual U.S. State Department Summit for Democracy 2023.
“I want to thank the world leaders and President Biden, who’s been a friend of 40 years, for convening this important conference. You know, Israel and the United States have had their occasional differences, but I want to assure you that the alliance between the world’s greatest democracy and a strong, proud and independent democracy—Israel—in the heart of the Middle East is unshakable. Nothing can change that,” said Netanyahu.
However, in his statement on Tuesday, Netanyau also rebuffed Biden’s political interference in Israeli domestic affairs.
“Israel is a sovereign country which makes its decisions by the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad, including from the best of friends,” said Netanyahu.
I have known President Biden for over 40 years, and I appreciate his longstanding commitment to Israel. The alliance between Israel and the United States is unbreakable and always overcomes the occasional disagreements between us
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 28, 2023
Earlier on Tuesday, Biden had said that “like many strong supporters of Israel, I am very concerned [by the judicial reform program]. I am concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road. I have sort of made that clear,” adding, “I hope he walks away from it.”
Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Republican presidential candidate for 2024, also weighed in on Biden’s remarks.
“It’s outrageous for Joe Biden to lecture Israel on a matter that is entirely their domestic concern,” she said in a statement. “We would never want the Israeli government to push America on issues surrounding our Supreme Court, and they wouldn’t do it. We should let Israelis decide this themselves.” JNS
Biden and Netanyahu Offer Mutual Words of Praise to One Another – ‘He’s a detestable Moron, but I still like Him an Awful Lot,’ says Biden; ‘There’s Always Been a Feeling of Mutual Animosity Between Us, Nevertheless We’ve Been Close Friends for 40 Years,’ says Netanyahu
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered up strong words of praise and friendship to one another on Thursday, while at the same time, expressing their deepest feelings of utter detestation for one another.
“Bibi makes me sick to my stomach,” Biden said of Netanyahu, “but so does Lasagna, and I love Lasgana, even if it makes me vomit for hours on end.”
Upon learning of Mr. Biden’s comments, Prime Minister Netanyahu told reporters: “Biden has been one of my closest friends these last 40 years, despite the fact that I find his deep animosity towards me and my country to be despicable and repulsive.”
Later in the day, the Prime Minister was reportedly seen purchasing a pair of boxing gloves at a sporting goods store in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu reportedly told the store clerk: “My good friend of 40 years, President Biden, has postponed inviting me to Washington this year. But when he DOES eventually invite me there, I want to make sure I’m prepared because I know for certain that he’ll have his boxing gloves on. Biden’s got a brutal uppercut, but I believe I can knock him out in the first round with a clean left jab to his face.”
“Biden is without question a true friend of mine,” Netanyahu emphasized, “and like a true friend, he never fails to remind me just how strong of a chin I’ve got…. Well, I’m not really sure about that. Last time I met Biden, I had to get 20 stitches on my chin. He’s a great fighter, and a worthy adversary; I’m just lucky to have a true friend like him who’s willing to offer up kind words of praise even for my chin.”
Yeh. I guess Israel is really a 51st State of the United States. All worthless members of Knesset are only puppets to the democrat party. Yay.