Israelis continue to protest in favour of ceasefire deal
Protesters block a road during a rally calling on Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal before travelling to Washington
Netanyahu criticised for US trip amid stalled captive talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing heated opposition in the Knesset from opposition lawmakers for his management of Israel’s war in Gaza, and over stalled talks aimed at having the captives released.
Protests in Israel – sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands – have demanded Netanyahu bring the captives home, and resign.
The clashes in the country’s parliament on Wednesday come before Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington next week, where he is set to address a joint session of the US Congress.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid demanded to know whether Netanyahu would use the occasion to announce he’d accepted a captives deal.
If not, Lapid said, don’t go to Washington. Go to Qatar or Cairo or stay here and hold discussions around the clock. He added, “don’t go give a speech in the air-conditioning in Washington while the hostages are dying of suffocation in Gaza’s tunnels”.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Biden, who has defended Israel’s war in Gaza and condemned Hamas, but called for greater efforts to relieve the humanitarian crisis and pushed for a ceasefire that would allow more aid and a return of Israeli captives.
President Biden contracts COVID ahead of Netanyahu visit
US President Joe Biden has contracted COVID and has travelled to Delaware to isolate, with his sickness coming just days before he is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden’s doctor has said the president’s symptoms are mild and he has received a dose of Paxlovid, but an expected recovery timeline has not been announced. Biden and Netanyahu were due to meet at the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday, with it unclear how his sickness would impact the meeting.
Netanyahu has faced criticism for visiting Washington, where he is controversially set to address a joint session of the US Congress, while ceasefire-for-captive talks have stalled.
