BIDEN SUGGESTS ISRAEL NOT HIT IRAN OIL FIELDS, AFTER OPPOSING STRIKE ON NUKE FACILITIES

Fri 04 October 2024:

US President Joe Biden says Israel has not yet decided how it’s going to respond to Iran’s ballistic missile strike.

“If I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields,” Biden says during a rare appearance at the White House daily press briefing where one reporter after another asks leading questions goading him to criticize Israel.

Earlier this week, Biden said he opposed Israel targeting Iranian nuclear sites as well.

Asked whether he thinks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rejecting diplomatic agreements in Gaza and Lebanon to influence the upcoming presidential election, Biden responds, “No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None, none, none, and I think Bibi should remember that.

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“As for whether he’s trying to influence the election or I don’t know, but I’m not counting on that,” Biden adds.

Biden says he assumes he will speak to Netanyahu when Israel decides on how it wants to respond to Iran.

Another reporter suggests Biden does not influence Israel. The president rejects the premise, saying he receives regular briefings and that his team is in constant contact with their Israeli counterparts.

“It’s the High Holidays… They’re not going to make a decision immediately. And so, we’re going to wait to see when they want to talk,” he adds.

Asked again whether Israel is heeding his administration’s advice, Biden responds by highlighting his Gaza hostage deal proposal from May, which remains stuck in the water. US officials have blamed Hamas for refusing to engage on the proposal over the last several weeks.

“What I know is the plan that I put together received the support of the UN Security Council, the vast majority of our allies around the world, as a way to bring this to an end,” Biden says.

“The Israelis have every right to respond to the vicious attacks on them — not just from the Iranians but from everyone from Hezbollah to Houthis. But the fact is that they have to be much more careful about dealing with civilian casualties,” Biden adds, leaning on a common administration talking point regarding the war.

Pressed again on how Israel should respond to Iran, Biden declines to offer further details. “That’s between me and them.”

Asked if he’s considering imposing sanctions against Iran, the president says the matter is under discussion.

Another reporter asks if there is anything the US can do to prevent an all-out war in the Middle East.

“There’s a lot we are doing. The main thing we can do is try to rally the rest of the world, our allies into participating — like the French are in Lebanon and other places — to tamp this down, but when you have proxies as irrational as Hezbollah and the Houthis and it’s a hard thing to determine,” Biden says.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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