"Biden Advised to Consider Successor"
Possibility of Regime Change Amid Conflict with Hamas
US President Joe Biden directly raised the issue of a successor with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to reports from American media, drawing attention to the background. This is interpreted as a result of criticism within Israel that the Netanyahu administration failed to properly prevent the invasion by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, leading to speculation about a possible sudden replacement amid the ongoing war.
On the 1st (local time), the US political media outlet Politico cited senior US government officials saying, "President Biden discussed with his staff the possibility that Netanyahu's political life may have little time left, and even conveyed this atmosphere to Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to Israel last month," adding, "President Biden even advised Netanyahu to think about the lessons he would eventually pass on to his successor."
Politico reported that this suggested the possibility that Israel's government could be replaced at any time during the war, even if the conflict with Hamas prolongs. Politico also reported that a White House meeting involving President Biden recently included discussions on measures regarding the limited remaining tenure of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The White House immediately denied the report. Adrian Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), said, "(Netanyahu's future) has never been discussed by the President, nor is it being discussed. Our focus is on the immediate crisis."
However, inside and outside US political circles, there is a flood of speculation that the Netanyahu administration will not last long. In particular, Politico reported that US government officials are paying attention to the decline in Netanyahu's governance credibility.
Politico analyzed that some within the Biden administration are concerned that Netanyahu, politically cornered, might link his political future to the war with Hamas and at some point attempt to escalate the conflict to a larger scale.
The Biden administration is reportedly reviewing scenarios following the Israeli military's complete occupation of Hamas's stronghold, the Palestinian Gaza Strip, while also considering in advance how US-Israel relations might evolve if Netanyahu falls from power.
They are also expanding contacts with figures likely to take the forefront of the future Israeli government, including Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, the second opposition party participating in Israel's wartime cabinet, former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.
Politico pointed out, "Netanyahu was not a favorite of the Biden team," noting, "He was a fervent supporter of former President Donald Trump and a harsh critic of the Iran nuclear deal crafted by the Obama-Biden administration."
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