Kirby dodges questions on whether or not Biden believes Netanyahu is impeding peace

White Home nationwide safety adviser John Kirby sidestepped questions Sunday about whether or not President Biden believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is impeding peace amid the warfare in Gaza.

“Fox Information Sunday” host Shannon Bream pressed Kirby on the speech Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) delivered final week wherein he referred to as for Israel to carry new elections and mentioned Netanyahu has “misplaced his manner.” His speech was met with backlash from Republicans, with some saying Schumer was attempting to meddle with Israel’s elections.

Bream famous Biden later mentioned Schumer gave a “good speech” earlier than asking Kirby if the president believes Netanyahu “is a bigot, that he’s an obstacle to peace, that he must be lumped in with Hamas.”

“These are two males — leaders which have recognized one another a very long time, Shannon, they usually don’t agree on every part, haven’t over 40 years. And there are particular elements to the prosecution of operations in Gaza the place we clearly don’t agree with every part that Israel has completed,” Kirby responded.

“However they’ve a relationship the place they will discuss to at least one one other. And so they do, and they’ll once more. He’s the prime minister of Israel, and we respect the sovereignty of the Israeli folks,” he added.

When requested additional if Biden believes {that a} new prime minister ought to change Netanyahu, Kirby mentioned the matter is “as much as the Israeli folks.”

“The president believes it’s as much as the Israeli folks and the Israeli authorities to find out if and when there’s going to be new elections. However he does — as he mentioned shortly after chief Schumer’s very passionate speech — he acknowledges that the chief was talking for lots of Individuals who really feel the identical manner about the best way the warfare goes,” he mentioned.

“We even have issues about a few of the operations and the way they’re being performed. We have to guarantee that civilians are protected and secured, that civilian casualties come down, that extra vehicles and help get in and, in fact, we’re nonetheless engaged on that non permanent cease-fire to get all these hostages out,” he added.

Whereas Biden has maintained that the U.S. helps Israel’s proper to defend itself, he has been extra vocal in latest weeks and months about his issues with Israel because it continues to wage its warfare in opposition to the militant group Hamas. In an interview final week with MSNBC, Biden mentioned he believed Netanyahu was “hurting Israel greater than serving to.”