Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, their third conversation since the violence erupted. Supporters of the Biden administration demanded quicker action. But the administration did not support Israel’s destruction of a Gaza high-rise that housed the Associated Press and Al Jazeera offices. The Biden administration viewed the strike on the building as a major strategic mistake, particularly because it turned some public opinion against Israel in the United States, the source said. The Biden administration has privately blamed the administration of Republican former President Donald Trump for breaking off communications with the Palestinian Authority in its zeal for a pro-Israel policy, believing that has contributed to instability.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 17, 2021 22:07 UTC