PM condemns right-wing denigration of Biden: ‘We can disagree, but he’s a friend’

Commenting in English to i24 News at his press conference, Netanyahu was asked about placards at right-wing rallies declaring “Fuck Biden,” in response to the US leader’s public criticism of the Israeli government’s judicial shakeup.

“I definitely condemn curse words directed against Joe Biden,” he said. “We can disagree, [and] we have. And we sometimes do, but he’s a friend, and anyway, you don’t curse the American president, whoever he is. The US is our indispensable ally.”

“That doesn’t mean that as a sovereign state, Israel, and the prime minister of Israel can’t say a short word on occasion to the United States. It’s called, ‘No.'” Sometimes there’s a three-letter word. It’s called, ‘Yes.’ But you have to have the freedom to say both and I do. I keep that freedom because I think it’s important.”

On reports of leaked US intel saying Israel could provide lethal weapons to Ukraine: “I don’t know what the basis of those reports is. We’ve decided to help them in humanitarian matters, civil defense, red alert [system] — things of that nature. [There has been] no decision about lethal weaponry… I’ll do what I can, if I can to help resolve this conflict.”