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A newly released book by Bob Woodward has revealed heated conversations between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Let’s bring you up to speed: Bob Woodward, best known for uncovering the Watergate scandal, is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who often writes about the inner workings of US politics and government decisions. Like his previous works, his latest book, War, focuses on behind-the-scenes power struggles—this time between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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What’s the deal: In the book, Woodward claimed that President Biden had called Netanyahu a “son of a bitch” and a “bad fucking guy” over frustrations with the Israeli leader’s handling of the Gaza war and his military decisions. Biden was also particularly critical of Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict, including his decision to move Israeli forces into the southern city of Rafah despite US objections over the humanitarian crisis it could exacerbate. After this move, Biden privately referred to Netanyahu as a “fucking liar” for disregarding American warnings.

In another heated exchange, Biden reportedly yelled, “Bibi, what the fuck” after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed a Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, accusing Netanyahu of making Israel appear as a “rogue state.” Biden repeatedly questioned Netanyahu’s strategy, saying, “What’s your strategy, man?” during an April 2024 phone call as tensions between the two leaders continued to escalate. For context, Shukr had a $5 million bounty by the US after being accused of playing a role in the bombing of a US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut in 1983.

Blinken & the Crown Prince: Woodward’s book also details a private conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to Woodward, Blinken pressed bin Salman on whether the Saudis required the establishment of a Palestinian state as a condition for normalization of relations with Israel. The Crown Prince reportedly said, “Do I want it? It doesn’t matter that much. Do I need it? Absolutely.”

The White House has not commented on the book.

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