Former US President Joe Biden has stated that he did not have much faith in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He further remarked that Netanyahu prioritized his own short-term political future over Israel’s long-term interests.
Biden shared these insights in his recently published autobiography, Promise Me, America. This information was reported by the Anadolu Agency, citing the US-based Wall Street Journal.
In the book, Biden reflects on various topics, including his presidency, the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, and his relationships with world leaders.
Regarding his relationship with Netanyahu, Biden wrote that there was little trust between them. He also noted that some of the Israeli Prime Minister’s tendencies mirrored those of former US President Donald Trump.
In Biden’s words, “There wasn’t much trust between us. I was concerned about some of Netanyahu’s tendencies—tendencies that were similar to Trump’s.” He described Netanyahu as highly calculating regarding information and noted that he had no qualms about manipulating democratic institutions to serve his own personal interests. Biden alleged that Netanyahu was far more concerned with his own political standing and future than with Israel’s long-term interests.
Nevertheless, Biden stated that he has no regrets regarding his decision to support Israel following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. At the same time, he expressed deep sorrow over the loss of many innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza.
In his autobiography, the former US President also defended the decision to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan. He maintains that the 2021 decision to pull forces out of Afghanistan was the right one, adding that if faced with the same situation again, he would make the same decision as President. However, Biden notes in his book that at the time, his Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, had expressed concerns regarding the potential consequences of a troop withdrawal.
He mentions that he had been assured the Afghan government would be able to hold on for at least six months following the departure of U.S. forces. In reality, however, the Afghan government collapsed within days of the U.S. withdrawal.
It is worth noting that an agreement regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan was reached between the United States and the Taliban in February 2020, during Donald Trump’s first term.
In his autobiography, Biden also shares his assessments of other world leaders. He describes the demeanor of Russian President Vladimir Putin as “surly.” According to Biden, during various meetings, Putin would deliberately lean forward or huddle in his seat—a posture intended to convey the attitude of an uninterested teenager.
On the other hand, Biden views Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s background as an actor as an asset for his wartime leadership. In his view, Zelenskyy’s prior experience as an actor proved quite useful in leading the country during the war.
This autobiography, which covers various experiences from Biden’s presidency, was published following the Democrats’ success in the midterm elections on November 3.
