The White House on Wednesday published a statement summarizing the phone call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“President Biden spoke this morning with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. Vice President Harris joined the call,” the statement said.
During the conversation, Biden “affirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security. He condemned unequivocally Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on October 1st. On Lebanon, the President emphasized the need for a diplomatic arrangement to safely return both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line.”
“The President affirmed Israel’s right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, which has fired thousands of missiles and rockets into Israel over the past year alone, while emphasizing the need to minimize harm to civilians, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut,” said the statement.
“On Gaza, the leaders discussed the urgent need to renew diplomacy to release the hostages held by Hamas. The President also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the imperative to restore access to the north, including by reinvigorating the corridor from Jordan immediately. They agreed to remain in close contact over the coming days both directly and through their national security teams,” concluded the statement.
The conversation between Biden and Netanyahu lasted 50 minutes and dealt with Israel's plans to retaliate for Iran's ballistic missile attack against the Jewish State last week.