NYT’s Friedman says he thinks Biden’s warning was made in call with Netanyahu

Thomas Friedman, the New York Times columnist who was recently told by US President Joe Biden that the Israeli government’s judicial overhaul efforts could harm the countries’ “special relationship,” says his impression during his talk with Biden is that the president made these remarks during his phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Friedman’s remarks to Israel’s Army Radio contradict what Netanyahu and his affiliates have been arguing — that the call was a warm one and that the issue of the overhaul barely came up.

Hebrew-language news site Walla has reported that the Biden administration was displeased with how Netanyahu’s office portrayed their Monday conversation and wanted to “correct” some of the impressions from the Israeli readout.

Friedman also says that according to his understanding from his conversations with Biden, the latter’s purported invitation for Netanyahu to visit did not mention the meeting being held in the White House. Netanyahu’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi has claimed that the invite was to the White House.