Axios: Biden had one of the most difficult and frustrating conversations with Netanyahu
US President Joe Biden had “one of the most difficult and frustrating” phone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has backtracked on funding for the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), online publication Axios reported.
The White House has been pushing the Israeli government to resume transferring to the PNA budget funds it collects in taxes and duties on behalf of the Palestinian authorities, but stopped transferring after the October attack by the ruling Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip
“That part of Saturday’s call between the two leaders was one of the most difficult and frustrating conversations Biden has had with Netanyahu since the Gaza war began. It is a sign of the growing tension between Biden and Netanyahu,” writes American-Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, citing unnamed US administration officials.
According to him, under American pressure, Israel agreed to resume transfers of funds that make up the lion’s share of the PNA budget, but minus the amounts owed to the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian authorities refused to accept the money at all, and the compromise was Netanyahu’s own idea of putting the funds in Norway’s temporary custody until mechanisms could be worked out to ensure that they would not be used by Hamas.
“(In a conversation with Biden) Netanyahu backtracked, saying he no longer thought it was a good idea. He told Biden that he did not trust the Norwegians and made it clear that the Palestinian Authority should simply accept a partial transfer of funds. Biden countered by saying that the US trusts the Norwegian proposal and that should be enough for Israel too… After a few minutes of discussion, Biden told Netanyahu that he expects the issue to be resolved. He added that ‘the conversation is over’ and hung up,” Ravid quoted his sources as saying.
For Netanyahu, the resumption of remittances risks the collapse of the ruling coalition, where far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is opposed to funding the NPA. The US fears that without financial support, the Palestinian National Authority, which controls part of the West Bank and is feuding with Hamas Islamist rebels, faces collapse.