Biden's close ally says Netanyahu is an obstacle to Middle East peace

(Patria) - Co-chair of President Joe Biden's re-election campaign portrayed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and suggested he is mistaken in rejecting calls from the United States and Arab countries to move towards the formation of a Palestinian state, Bloomberg reported.

"This wouldn't be the first time there's been some tension between Prime Minister Netanyahu, his personal, political goals and the challenges of creating a positive, peaceful path forward for the Israeli and
Palestinian people," said Chris Coons, a senator from Delaware and a close ally of
President Biden, to CNN.

Coons' comments also hint at tension between Biden and Netanyahu, who spoke for the first time in nearly four weeks on Friday. The day before, Netanyahu rejected US calls for the Palestinian Authority to have eventual control over post-war Gaza, saying the Israeli leader must be able to stand up to even his "closest friends".

Netanyahu's comments, promising to maintain Israeli control over the West Bank
and Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future after the war, drew rebuke from the US State Department.

Netanyahu has a history of weakening the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and accepting Iran-backed Hamas as the ruler of Gaza, which had "tragic consequences when Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7th," Coons said.

"This is a moment when the Israeli public needs to choose the best path forward," Coons said.

"And I know it would be a significant step for them to accept that the creation of a Palestinian state
is the right path forward," he added.

The Hamas attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people. Israeli strikes have killed more than 25,000 people in the Gaza Strip.