Biden attacks Bibi in his Memoir, 'he put his interests before those of Israel'

Former US President Joe Biden attacks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his new memoir, accusing him of making promises he never intended to keep, repeatedly ignoring Washington's pleas to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza and putting his own political interests before Israel's long-term future.

In excerpts from 'Promise Me, America', published today by CNN, Biden describes growing frustration with a leader he has known for decades, offering a bleak picture of relations between the White House and Netanyahu's office during the war. “From the beginning of the conflict I had asked Israel to take precautions to reduce the suffering of the civilian population,” Biden writes. The former president says he raised the issue repeatedly in private talks with Netanyahu, who acknowledged that the rising number of Palestinian casualties was damaging Israel's international image and weakening American support for the war. According to Biden, however, the same script was always repeated: Netanyahu promised to do more, but shortly after another Israeli military operation caused further civilian casualties. “When we pointed it out, the Israelis always had an explanation or an excuse, but the result was the same,” Biden writes. The harshest accusation is leveled directly at the Israeli prime minister: "Bibi had no problem making promises that he didn't have the power — or the intention — to keep." “While I understood that he was operating under great pressure, I was frustrated by his inability to think like a statesman and to protect Israel's long-term interests, rather than just his own short-term political needs,” Biden writes.

The published excerpts, however, do not explain why he continued to support Israel even after coming to the conclusion that his prime minister was not fulfilling his commitments.