Biden tries to negotiate for a Palestinian state as Israeli bombing continues

Washington: US President Joe Biden says he spoke with Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu about possible solutions for creation of an independent Palestinian state, suggesting one path could involve a non-militarised government.

Biden’s call with Netanyahu on Saturday (AEDT) was the first in nearly a month, the White House said, noting the discussions focused on Israel’s ongoing strikes in Gaza.

Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Biden had been trying to schedule the call “for quite a bit of time” and denied it came in response to Netanyahu saying he objected to Palestinian statehood that did not guarantee Israel’s security.

Palestinians salvage their belongings after an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on January 12.Credit: AP

Asked if a two-state solution was impossible while Netanyahu was still in office, Biden said, “No, it’s not.”

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with US mayors, Biden said Netanyahu was not opposed to all two-state solutions, and there were a number of types possible, noting that some United Nations members do not have military forces.

Biden was asked if he would reconsider conditions on Israel funding aid given Netanyahu’s comments rejecting a two-state solution.

“I think we’ll be able to work something out ... I think there’s ways in which this could work,” he said.

Biden and Netanyahu also discussed efforts to secure the remaining hostages held by Hamas, and Israel’s announced shift to more “targeted” operations in Gaza to allow more humanitarian assistance to come through, the White House said.

Biden has been pressuring Israel to reduce Palestinian deaths even as he has maintained his strong support of the country in its war against Hamas.

But the two men do not see eye-to-eye on Palestinians having a state, a solution Biden has advocated to achieve long-term peace.

“The president also discussed his vision for a more durable peace and security for Israel fully integrated within the region and a two state-solution with Israel’s security guaranteed,” the White House said in a statement about their call.

Netanyahu had said in a press conference that he told Washington he objected to any Palestinian statehood that did not guarantee Israel’s security. “Israel must have security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River. That’s a necessary condition,” he said.

Smoke rises following Israeli bombardments in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on January 17.Credit: AP

Biden’s call came as Red Crescent officials accused Israel of firing on a hospital in Khan Younis, the main city in the southern part of Gaza.

It said displaced people were injured “due to intense gunfire from the Israeli drones targeting citizens at Al-Amal Hospital” as well as the rescue agency’s base. The military said it was checking the report.

Nearby, Israeli tanks were also approaching Gaza’s biggest remaining functioning hospital, Nasser, where people reported hearing shellfire from the west. Residents also reported fierce gun battles to the south.

US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv in October.Credit: AP

Israel launched a major new advance this week to capture Khan Younis, which it says is now the primary base of Hamas fighters who attacked Israeli towns on October 7, killing 1200 and precipitating a war that has devastated the Gaza Strip.

In the north, where Israel says it has started pulling out troops and shifting to smaller scale operations, 12 people were killed in strikes on a residential building near the largely non-functioning Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said.

An Israeli strike on a house in Al-Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip killed five Palestinians.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 142 Palestinians were killed and 278 injured in Gaza in the previous 24 hours, raising the death toll from more than three months of war to 24,762.

Asked about a request by Mexico and Chile for the International Criminal Court to investigate potential crimes against civilians in Gaza, Kirby said the US was still gathering more information about what that would entail.

“We don’t have any indications that there’s deliberate ... efforts to commit war crimes by the Israeli Defence Forces,” Kirby said.

Kirby also expressed concerned about reports from Palestinian health officials who said a 17-year-old Palestinian-American teenager was killed by Israeli security forces in the West Bank on Friday.

“We’re seriously concerned about these reports,” Kirby said. “We’re going to be in constant touch with counterparts in the region to get more information.”

Meanwhile, US Central Command forces conducted strikes against three Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen that were aimed into the southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch, the US military said on X.

The incident late on Friday (AEDT), was the latest amid growing tensions in the Red Sea that have disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks.

The Houthis, who control the most populous part of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians under attack from Israel in Gaza.

Reuters