President Joe Biden is reportedly contemplating a visit to Israel in the near future, even as the nation faces the possibility of a large-scale ground invasion into Gaza.
According to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the Associated Press on Sunday, the commander-in-chief has not yet made any official travel plans to Israel, even as the country enters its second week of war with Hamas, as per New York Post.
Biden's Potential Visit to Israel
The White House has yet to announce the trip officially. Still, it could become a significant show of solidarity with Israel as the country grapples with the aftermath of last weekend's devastating attacks by Hamas. Israel has been signaling its readiness for a ground invasion of Gaza while a humanitarian crisis within the Palestinian enclave worsens.
In response to these developments, President Biden has called for the protection of civilians, and the US has been working to alleviate shortages of food, water, and gas. A potential visit from President Biden would also serve as a message to other regional players, including Iran-backed Hezbollah, cautioning against further escalation of the conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been engaged in high-stakes shuttle diplomacy in the region over the past several days, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding civilian lives.
A visit by President Biden would likely convey a similar message to that of his top diplomat. President Biden recently held conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.
This marks the fifth telephone call between President Biden and Netanyahu since the attack by Hamas. On Sunday, the US Department of Defense announced the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean to deter hostile actions against Israel and prevent any further expansion of the conflict.
While there is speculation that President Biden could land in Israel as early as this week, US officials have emphasized that the trip's timing is uncertain and could depend on the evolving security situation and the state of the conflict, which has been rapidly escalating, according to CNN.
Biden's Possible Visit to Israel Amid Middle East Tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu invited President Biden during their conversation on Saturday. President Biden has expressed interest in visiting Israel to demonstrate robust US support, especially in the wake of Hamas's attacks, which have resulted in the deaths of over 1,300 Israelis and the taking of approximately 150 hostages, including American citizens.
However, the potential for increased hostilities makes the timing of such a trip a delicate consideration. While the National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, stated, "We have no new travel to announce," she did not explicitly deny the possibility of a visit.
President Biden has embarked on daring trips in the past, such as his visit to Kyiv in February, which took place during the ongoing war with Russia. Still, going to Israel through an emergency would be even more complex due to Hamas's heightened security risks and potential provocations.
The recent experience of a US senatorial delegation visiting Tel Aviv underscored the dangers. When warning sirens sounded, they sought refuge in a bomb shelter. On the other hand, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Israel in the past week without significant complications.
The potential visit comes against the Biden administration's growing concern about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel's relentless bombing and siege have resulted in widespread suffering. Experts predict that an Israeli ground offensive in the coming days could lead to weeks of urban warfare, likely causing the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians in the process.
Reports from Gaza suggest that more than 2,600 Palestinians have already lost their lives in Israel's retaliatory strikes over the past week, Politico reported.
