While much of the news surrounding US President Joe Biden was regarding the Afghanistan evacuations last week, Biden met with the new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. In his meeting with Bennett, Biden said the US would take a diplomatic approach to Iran’s nuclear program.
Biden hosted Bennett at the White House last week, marking the first meeting between the two new world leaders as they look to reset relations between the US and Israel. Among the main issues that both leaders discussed in their meeting involved Iran, which sees the US and Israel at odds with each other as Biden’s administration looks to return to the nuclear deal while Israel has opposed the idea. Biden said that they discussed the threat that Iran now poses and how to make sure that Tehran does not plan on developing another nuclear weapon.
“We’re putting diplomacy first and we’ll see where that takes us. But if diplomacy fails, we’re ready to turn to other options,” said Biden following their meeting. Prior to their meeting, Bennett was already expected to press the US leader on taking a more hardline stance towards Iran and keep the US withdrawn from the nuclear deal that was done by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump.
Their meeting was overshadowed by the reports of a suicide bombing that occurred in Kabul that killed 13 US troops. The US forces that were assisting in evacuating Afghans and American citizens from the country were already on alert for more attacks that may come.
Meanwhile, right-wing figures and media outlets have spread clips of Biden supposedly falling asleep during his meeting with Bennett. However, Reuters fact-checkers have debunked the incident that went viral on social media. The clips were intentionally altered, cutting out the remarks made by Biden after he momentarily lowered his eyes as he listened, according to the outlet.
Many that have seen the clip also pointed out what Biden told Bennett after he spoke. “You’ve given me credit, much of which should go to Barack Obama, for making sure we’re committed to the qualitative edge you would have,” said the US leader. The misleading clip that was shared on Twitter has since been flagged by the platform as “manipulated media.”