Biden Reportedly Doubts Netanyahu Will Last Long as Israeli Prime Minister Amid Conflict

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden doubts that Benjamin Netanyahu has a good chance of remaining the prime minister of Israel amid the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and believes that his days as a political figure are numbered, US media reported, citing senior administration officials.

Biden discussed Netanyahu's political survival with his aides in recent White House meetings, including following his trip to Israel where he had a chance to meet with the Israeli prime minister in person, media said Wednesday.

Moreover, Biden reportedly even told Netanyahu to think about the lessons he had learned and how he could pass them on to his successor. Officials believe Netanyahu has several months left as the prime minister, or until the conclusion of the early phase of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

One of the administration officials quoted indicated that discussions of the situation in the Middle East always take into account Netanyahu's shaky power position in Israel, and the fact that he is also losing public support after the Hamas attack took Tel Aviv by surprise, as well as amid growing protest sentiments around the world against the brutality of the Israeli army towards Palestinian civilians.

Netanyahu on Sunday posted a message on X, in which he blasted Israel’s defense and intelligence services, saying he was not warned about Hamas’ plans before the October 7 attack.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu had "crossed a red line" by blaming the country's army and security services for the failures that led to the deadly attack on Israel. Several hours later, the prime minister removed the post and apologized for it, as it caused a wave of harsh criticism from various sides.

On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel. The escalation of the conflict has resulted in thousands of people killed and injured on both sides.