'Real distrust' in Netanyahu even among pro-'Israel' US lawmakers
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Three MPs, who spoke with NBC News, have implied that Netanyahu was intentionally prolonging the war to stay in power.
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President Joe Biden speaking during a conference of US mayors at the White House (AFP)
Pro-"Israel" lawmakers are "sounding the alarm" that they are not as confident as they were in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly with his handling of the war on Gaza, NBC News reported.
Three MPs who spoke with NBC News wondered if Netanyahu even had a real strategy during the onslaught, implying that he was intentionally prolonging the war to stay in power.
One House Republican said it is "really hard" to defend him, expressing that the Israeli PM has a "political benefit" to steer clear of a ceasefire.
He emphasized there was a "real distrust" regarding his ability to lead and shed light on his massive unpopularity within the occupation, both in the government and on the streets.
One House Democrat who called himself a "strong friend" of "Israel" referred to Netanyahu as a "disaster" expressing concern over the "endless war" that is killing far too many civilians in Gaza.
Netanyahu's office denied claims of a prolonged war, citing that "more needs to be done" to achieve "Israel's" goals to eradicate Hamas and release Israeli captives.
The news echoes similar reports of US officials growing increasingly frustrated dealing with Israeli Netanyahu, who is waging a war while attempting to escape imprisonment, preserve his corrupt legacy, and keep his political allies pleased.
Sources with direct knowledge divulged to Axios that US President Joe Biden and other US officials are growing more and more impatient with Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to grant the majority of the administration's recent requests on the Gaza war.
Even former Israeli chief Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of "selling illusions," detailing to Israeli Channel 12 that "whoever speaks of absolute defeat is not speaking the truth."
Biden and Netanyahu spoke via phone on Friday to catch up on the latest bombardment on Gaza and the progress on failed Israeli efforts to crush the Palestinian Resistance.
The two had not spoken since December 23, the longest gap since the war began on October 7.
Another House Democrat who serves as a national security committee member said they were "extremely disappointed" about the strategy shift and the rate of civilian casualties.
Losing an entire generation of American support
During an interview on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports," Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner expressed that although the support for "Israel" remains strong, the US has to have a "partner in the Israeli government that realizes that you could lose a generation of American support if they don’t think about conducting this conflict in Gaza in a different fashion."
When asked if regional peace could only happen after Netanyahu resigns, Warner responded that some in the current Israeli cabinet do nothing but stir "the flames of passion against the Palestinians with their comments," calling them completely unacceptable.
Another House Republican congressman said he still supports Netanyahu and the war effort, but he believes the embattled Prime Minister will be unable to maintain his job after the war.
In a study conducted this month by the "Israel Democracy Institute," only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to continue in office following the war on Gaza.
The open secret of growing tensions between Washington and Netanyahu became more obvious on Thursday when Netanyahu accused the United States of "coercing Israel" into steps that would "endanger" the occupation entity.
In a press conference, the Prime Minister told reporters that "Israel" must "take control" of all "land west of the River Jordan," which would hinder the "two-state solution" concept.
"This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of (Palestinian) sovereignty. What to do? I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security," he said.
