Report: Joe Biden Turns Down Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Invite

President Joe Biden reportedly turned down Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invite for a “solidarity visit” following the horrific terrorist attacks at the hands of Hamas.

Update: President Biden may be considering a trip to Israel soon, an administration official said.

“After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office leaks that the premier invited US President Joe Biden to pay a solidarity visit to Israel following Hamas’s massive assault, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson says, ‘We have no new travel to announce,'” the Time of Israel reported.

As to why Biden turned down the trip remains unknown at this time. Needless to say, the president and Netanyahu have had a strained relationship since he resumed office. The two did not even agree on a White House meeting until September of this year. As Breitbart News reported:

Biden had rejected the traditional White House invite for Netanyahu earlier this year, objecting first to the prime minister’s proposed judicial reforms, and then to the presence of far-right parties in Netanyahu’s coalition.

However, when Israel’s ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, arrived for a White House visit in July, the snub began to draw questions and criticism, and Biden appeared to relent, though he would not commit to a White House visit.

Both sides have softened their tone in recent weeks: Netanyahu has been outspoken about seeking compromise with the Israeli opposition on judicial reform, and Biden praised the U.S.-Israel relationship effusively Wednesday.

Since the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel last weekend, which killed over 1,400 people (mostly civilians), Joe Biden has been publicly stalwart in his support for the country’s right to defend itself.

“If the United States experienced what Israel has experienced, our response would be swift, decisive, and overwhelming,” he said last week.

Biden called the Hamas terrorist attack a “violation of every code of human morality” and noted that the organization’s “stated purpose of being is to kill Jews,” and that its methods recalled memories of attempts to carry out the “genocide of the Jewish people” in history.

Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.