US President Joe Biden slams Israeli PM Netanyahu, calls him a 'Bad Guy'

As the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies, a private comment by US President Joe Biden about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stirred controversy. Biden had reportedly referred to Netanyahu as a "bad f***ing guy" in a conversation with undisclosed sources, expressing suspicion that Netanyahu might draw the US into a broader Middle East conflict to maintain American support.

Despite the strong language attributed to Biden, his spokesperson, Andrew Bates, denied the use of offensive words. Bates emphasised the long-standing respectful relationship between the two leaders, both publicly and privately.

Tensions between Biden and Netanyahu escalated in December when Biden allegedly hung up on Netanyahu during a heated call. 

According to a report by Politico, This strained relationship, especially concerning the Israel-Gaza conflict, could potentially cost Biden liberal votes in the upcoming November presidential polls.

A recent YouGov poll revealed that 50 per cent of self-described Biden voters considered Israel's actions in Gaza as "a genocide." Some House Democrats, critical of Netanyahu, called on Biden to take a stand against the Israeli Prime Minister.

The US and Israel have been at odds over the push for Palestinian statehood, with Netanyahu rejecting the idea and emphasising Israeli security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River. 

While the Biden administration actively pursues an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel, both leaders continue to express public support for each other.