During a call on Friday with U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a nearly four-week gap in direct communication, the White House said Biden affirmed his commitment to work toward a two-state solution.
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00:00 President Biden had a chance to speak this morning with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
00:05 The President and the Prime Minister discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all
00:09 remaining hostages that are being held by Hamas.
00:12 The two leaders also reviewed the situation in Gaza and the shift to targeted operations
00:17 that will enable the flow of increasing amounts of humanitarian assistance while keeping the
00:22 military pressure on Hamas and its leaders significant.
00:26 The President welcomed the decision from the Government of Israel to permit the shipment
00:31 of flour for the Palestinian people directly through Ashdod Port, while our teams are separately
00:37 working on options for more direct maritime delivery of assistance into Gaza.
00:41 The President also discussed recent progress in ensuring the Palestinian Authority's revenues
00:46 are available to pay salaries, including for the Palestinian security forces in the West
00:51 Bank.
00:52 The President also discussed Israel's responsibility, even as it maintains military pressure on
00:57 Hamas and its leaders, to reduce civilian harm and to protect the innocents.
01:02 The President also discussed his vision for a more durable peace and security for Israel,
01:07 fully integrated within the region, and a two-state solution with Israel's security
01:12 guaranteed.
01:14 On the modalities of the call and the frequencies, as I've said before, they will talk as appropriate.
01:19 This was deemed by both leaders as the best opportunity for yet another call.
01:24 Colleen and I have no doubt that there will be additional calls going forward, clearly.
01:29 The President still believes in the promise and the possibility of a two-state solution.
01:33 He recognizes that's going to take a lot of hard work.
01:36 It's going to take a lot of leadership there in the region, particularly, on both sides
01:40 of the issue.
01:41 And the United States stands firmly committed to eventually seeing that outcome right now.
01:47 And we're – obviously, we're talking to them actively about post-conflict Gaza and
01:52 what governance there needs to look like and the importance of an independent Palestinian
01:57 state for long-term security, not just for the Palestinian people but for the Israeli
02:00 people as well.
02:02 Currently, of course, we're rightly focused, as I said in the opening statement, on making
02:06 sure Israel has what it – continues to has – have what it needs to defend itself.
02:10 We're not going to agree on everything.
02:13 We've said that.
02:14 And good friends and allies can have those kinds of candid, forthright discussions, and
02:18 we do.
02:19 It's not going to change the President's view that the best long-term solution for
02:24 regional security, particularly the security of the Israeli people, is a free and independent
02:29 Palestinian state that can live in peace and security with – and this is an important
02:35 caveat – with Israel's security also guaranteed.
02:40 He still believes in that.
02:41 And we're going to continue to talk to our Israeli counterparts.
02:44 This isn't about trying to twist somebody's arm or force a change in their thinking.
02:51 President – sorry, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made clear his concerns about that.
02:56 President Biden has made clear his strong conviction that a two-state solution is still
03:00 the right path ahead, and we're going to continue to make that case.
03:03 QUESTION: So what is the overlap there?
03:05 I guess when the two leaders are having a conversation like their phone call today,
03:10 what is it that the Prime Minister is saying to the President to indicate that that gap
03:15 can be bridged?
03:16 MR KIRBY: I won't get into the Prime Minister's side of the conversation.
03:20 I think that's better for his staff to speak to.
03:23 All I can tell you is that the President reiterated his strong conviction in the viability of
03:29 a two-state solution, understanding, of course, that we're not going to get there tomorrow,
03:34 that there is an active conflict going on, and that we want to make sure Israel has what
03:37 it needs to defend itself.
03:39 But as we're talking about post-conflict Gaza – and we have been now for many, many
03:42 weeks – you can't do that without also talking about the aspirations of the Palestinian
03:47 people and what that needs to look like for them.
03:50 So we're going to continue to have those conversations.