Sawt Falasteen - Biden pushes Netanyahu in tense ceasefire talks

The two leaders put on a good-humored show for the cameras as they met in the Oval Office at the White House, just four days after the 81-year-old Biden's stunning announcement that he would not seek reelection.

"From a proud Zionist Jew to a proud Zionist Irish American, I want to thank you for 50 years of public service and 50 years of support for the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in tribute to Biden at the start of the Oval Office meeting.

"And I look forward to discussing with you today and working with you in the months ahead."

But Netanyahu, 74, was also set to meet separately with Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris -- reflecting the new political reality of Biden being a lame duck for the next six months.

Harris has been more outspoken on Gaza in the past and there has been speculation that she could adopt a tougher approach on Israel. Officials deny there is any "daylight" between her and Biden.

- 'Compromise' -

The White House said Biden would keep pushing for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, a potentially legacy-defining achievement if it happens.

And it said it still believed that Netanyahu was ready for an agreement despite a fiery speech to the US Congress on Wednesday in which he vowed "total victory" against Hamas.

"The president will be reaffirming for prime minister Netanyahu that he believes we need to get there, and we need to get there soon," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"We can achieve a deal, but it's going to require, as it always does, some leadership, some compromise."

Biden and Netanyahu later met the families of US hostages held in Gaza, many of whom have called on Netanyahu to reach a deal.

Protesters chanted slogans outside a ring of metal barriers erected around the White House, following rowdy protests during Netanyahu's speech to lawmakers.

Harris on Thursday condemned the "despicable" and "unpatriotic" burning of an American flag by protesters, after attempts by Donald Trump's Republicans to paint Democrats as pro-Hamas.

- 'Final gaps' -

While Biden has kept military aid flowing to Israel since Hamas's October 7 attacks, relations with Netanyahu have been deeply strained by Israel's conduct during the war.

The meeting is Netanyahu's first visit to the White House during Biden's presidency. They also met in New York last year and when Biden traveled to Israel days after the attacks and hugged Netanyahu at the airport.

A senior US administration official said Wednesday that negotiations on a Gaza deal were in the "closing stages" and that Biden would try to close some "final gaps" with Netanyahu.

In a primetime speech on Wednesday explaining his decision to bow out of the election, Biden said he would "keep working to end the war on Gaza."

But in a further sign of Biden's diminishing relevance, and Netanyahu's determination to play both sides, the Israeli will meet Trump in Florida on Friday.

The ex-president on Thursday urged Israel to quickly "finish up" its war in Gaza, warning its global image was being tarnished.

The Hamas attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 111 are still being held inside the Gaza Strip, including 39 who the military says are dead.

More than 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip since the war began, according to data provided by the health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.

W.Mansour--SF-PST