Biden, Netanyahu discussed diplomatic solutions in Lebanon and Gaza: White House

“On Lebanon, the president emphasized the need for a diplomatic arrangement to safely return both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line,” the White House said.

“The president affirmed Israel’s right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, which has fired thousands of missiles and rockets into Israel over the past year alone, while emphasizing the need to minimize harm to civilians, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut,” it added.

“On Gaza, the leaders discussed the urgent need to renew diplomacy to release the hostages held by Hamas. The president also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the imperative to restore access to the north, including by reinvigorating the corridor from Jordan immediately,” the White House noted.

The president also affirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, and condemned Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel, according to the White House.

Biden’s call with Netanyahu was “direct” and “productive” and included discussions on a potential attack on Iran, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a news conference.

She added the call lasted 30 minutes.

This is the first known call between the two since August. Since then, the Middle East has spiralled to the brink of regional war, with Lebanon coming under heavy attack and Iran striking Israeli in retaliation for the assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

In the last few weeks, Israel’s deadly bombardment across Lebanon has killed at least 1,200 civilians while forcibly displacing 1.2 million residents.

The Biden administration has previously also asked Israel to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza where Israeli soldiers have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians while displacing nearly 2 million survivors. The Biden administration has also spent a record $17.9bln in military aid to Israel since last October.