Biden fears Netanyahu will drag the United States into a regional Middle East war, according to the report. Although Netanyahu has repeatedly said he wants to contain the fighting to destroying Hamas, and has cautioned Hezbollah in Lebanon against escalation, the report suggested that the Israeli leader in fact hopes for a regional war to reduce international pressure for a Gaza cease-fire and to solve his domestic difficulties.
It was to contain the political liability of supporting Israel that Biden traveled to Michigan on Thursday and condemned hate against Arab-Americans at the National Prayer Breakfast, the report said.
It also referred to Biden's recent sanctioning of Israeli residents of the West Bank for violence against Palestinians.
Even pro-Israel Democratic lawmakers are "contemptuous" of Netanyahu, the report said.
“It was unanimous that this Israel-Gaza war needed to end now and that Biden needed to stand up to Bibi,” a Democratic lawmaker said, according to the report.
“This is a disaster politically. The base is really pissed—and it’s not just the leftists. I have never seen such a depth of anguish as I’ve seen over this Gaza issue. Bibi is toxic among many Democratic voters and Biden must distance himself from him—yesterday,” the lawmaker added.
