Univision, the Spanish-language television network, aired an hour-long pre-recorded interview on Tuesday featuring U.S. President Joe Biden, during which he expressed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions.
Biden stated that he believes Netanyahu’s current course of action is a mistake and emphasized his disagreement with the Israeli leader’s approach. This interview marked a notable shift in Biden’s public stance on the issue.
During the interview with Univision’s Enrique Acevedo, Biden called for an immediate ceasefire and urged Israel to ensure unfettered access to food and medicine for the next six to eight weeks.
“I’ve spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, and they have expressed readiness to provide assistance,” Biden remarked. “There is no excuse for failing to address the urgent medical and food needs of the affected population. Action must be taken without delay.”
The interview, conducted on April 3 in the afternoon, was noted in pool reports at the time. Biden’s remarks come on the heels of his recent demand for Netanyahu to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, as outlined in a White House readout of their call last Thursday.
In the readout, Biden underscored the gravity of the situation, particularly the strikes targeting humanitarian workers, and stressed the imperative for Israel to take immediate and tangible steps to alleviate civilian suffering and ensure the safety of aid workers.
During a subsequent press briefing, reporters pressed White House national security communications adviser John Kirby on whether Biden’s statements amounted to a threat against Netanyahu. Kirby refrained from detailing specific policy repercussions should Israel fail to meet the conditions outlined by the U.S. president, stating only that there would be consequences if necessary changes were not observed on Israel’s part.
