The White House readout of Monday’s call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was extremely cautious in its wording. While it said that Biden “expressed his support for a ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas, it also said the president “reiterated his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks.” But, according to two reports, Biden was more direct during the call than the readout suggested. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Biden told Netanyahu he should soon bring an end to the airstrikes in Gaza, while The New York Times reported that Biden has been using a “somewhat sharper private tone” with Netanyahu when compared to White House statements. Biden has come under criticism from congressional Democrats for his reluctance to publicly rebuke Israel for its deadly airstrikes in Gaza, with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) confronting him on the tarmac at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Tuesday.
