Joe Biden Spoke To Benjamin Netanyahu, Hopes Israel Violence To End Soon

Joe Biden said US diplomacy was in high gear with national security and defense staff "in constant contact with their counterparts in the Middle East".

US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Israel has a right to defend itself but after speaking with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he hopes violent clashes with Palestinians will end quickly. "I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu not too long ago," Biden told reporters. "My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory." Biden said US diplomacy was in high gear with national security and defense staff "in constant contact with their counterparts in the Middle East -- not just with the Israelis, but also with everyone from the Egyptians and the Saudis to the Emiratis." Earlier, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Hady Amr, the State Department official in charge of Israeli and Palestinian affairs, was leaving Wednesday to the region to urge "de-escalation of violence."