Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) suggested that both he and President Joe Biden feel that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership is not good for Israel.
“I’ve talked to the president about this. And, of course, he is not going to be public with everything he says to Netanyahu,” Clyburn told CBS’ Robert Costa on “Face the Nation” Sunday. “But I know this. He feels about the way I feel when it comes to Netanyahu. He is — his leadership has not been good for Israel.”
“We stand firmly with the people of Israel, but I’ve always had a real problem with Netanyahu and that continues to be today,” he said.
When Costa asked the congressman to clarify if Biden agreed with his assessment of Netanyahu, Clyburn said, “Well, he’s accepted my assessment. I have not asked him whether or not he agreed with me.”
“In fact, I just let them know, ‘This is the way I feel. I’m not running the country. You do what you feel is in the best interest of the country,’” he added.
Clyburn, formerly the House’s third-ranking Democrat, helped Biden gain the support of many Black voters during the previous election. According to Time, Clyburn recently stepped down from his assistant Democratic leader position in the House to help Biden with his reelection campaign.
In a report from NBC News published Monday, Biden has condemned Netanyahu in private, calling him an “asshole” and saying that he’s “giving him hell,” according to sources familiar with the matter. Biden has also reportedly called Netanyahu “a bad fucking guy.” The president has only slightly criticized the prime minister publicly, however.
Israel has maintained a constant bombardment against Gaza since October, when Hamas militant leaders launched an attack in Israel. Israel’s attacks on Gaza have led to more than 28,000 Palestinians being killed and over 60,000 injured, according to Amnesty International, as well as the displacement of at least 1.8 million people, according to The New York Times.
The International Court of Justice has said that it’s plausible that Israel is committing genocide.