A Diplomatic Victory of Uncertain Staying Power
It was so close. Had just one missile or drone gotten through and killed a lot of Israelis, American officials feared, the region could have gone up in flames.
Peter Baker in political news
Biden Seeks to Head Off Escalation After Israel’s Successful Defense
President Biden and his team, hoping to avoid further escalation leading to a wider war in the Middle East, are advising Israel that its successful defense against Iranian airstrikes constituted a major strategic victory that might not require another round of retaliation, U.S. officials said.
Biden Urges Egypt and Qatar to Push Hamas on a Hostage and Cease-Fire Deal
President Biden sent messages to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar urging them to increase pressure on Hamas to make a deal with Israel that would result in a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages held there, a senior administration official said on Friday.
In Threatening Israel, Biden Hopes to Avoid a Rupture
By the time President Biden hung up the phone, he had finally delivered the threat he had refused to make for months: Israel had to change course, he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or the United States would take action.
Biden Tells Netanyahu U.S. Support Hinges on Treatment of Gaza Civilians
President Biden threatened on Thursday to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, attempting for the first time to leverage American aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas.
Obama Feared a ‘One-Term Presidency’ After Passing Health Care Law
By the time his ambitious health care legislation was introduced and carved up and cursed and left for dead and revived and compromised and passed and finally signed into law, the whole process had taken a toll on President Barack Obama.
Biden Embraces Schumer’s ‘Good Speech’ Castigating Netanyahu
President Biden on Friday praised Senator Chuck Schumer’s call on Israel to hold new elections to replace the prime minister, calling it “a good speech” without endorsing specifics in it.
U.S. and Allies Warn Iran Not to Send Missiles to Russia
The United States and six other major world powers warned Iran on Friday not to provide ballistic missiles to Russia to aid Moscow’s war against Ukraine and threatened to retaliate if it does by cutting off Iranian air travel to Europe, among other measures.