From Nasdaq, Inc.:

President Joe Biden has privately expressed his dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s military tactics in Gaza. The President has been trying to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire but has faced considerable resistance from Netanyahu. Biden has allegedly referred to Netanyahu as “this guy” and even an “a**hole” in recent private conversations.

Biden has grown increasingly frustrated with the rising Palestinian civilian death toll in Gaza and Netanyahu’s unwillingness to pursue a long-term peace agreement. Despite his private frustrations, Biden has not publicly criticized Netanyahu too harshly, believing it would be counterproductive. He and his aides continue to support Israel unequivocally.

The private frustration expressed by Biden comes in the wake of a series of events in the region. Israel on Sunday conducted air strikes in Rafah, Gaza, to free two hostages, resulting in the deaths of at least 37 people. This operation has raised concerns, with the White House advising Netanyahu against launching a military operation in Rafah without ensuring the safety of the roughly 1 million people sheltering there. Earlier, the Biden administration was reportedly considering slowing down weapon deliveries to Israel as a form of leverage to persuade the Israeli government to temper its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

This is not the first time Biden may have used strong language against Netanyahu. Earlier this month, Biden allegedly called Netanyahu “a bad f**king guy” amid fears that the Israeli prime minister wants to drag the U.S. into a larger Middle East conflict. Netanyahu has vowed that Israel would achieve “complete victory” and would not “end the war before then.”



Read more: Joe Biden Calls Israel’s Netanyahu ‘A**hole’ And ‘This Guy’ In Private Over Gaza Tactics: Report