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By World Israel News Staff
President Joe Biden told a left-wing journalist that he is wielding “extreme pressure” against Israel and that he has threatened consequences should Jerusalem not follow his agenda, in a bizarre interaction that was posted to social media platform TikTok.
At a White House event for influencers, left-wing journalist Jonathan Katz approached Biden and asked him about his characterization of anti-Israel campus protests as antisemitic.
Katz also asked Biden why he sent some $26 billion in military aid to Israel when far-left voices in his Democratic party are accusing Israel of genocide.
Despite an aide attempting to intervene to prevent him from speaking to Katz, Biden decided to answer the questions.
“Israel’s security in the region is essential. And that’s fundamentally different than how Israel acts in Gaza,” Biden said.
“As you probably know, I’ve been putting extreme pressure on the Israelis to open up more humanitarian access in Gaza. And I think we’re getting close.
“I’m pushing hard. [Israel is] not going to volunteer to” provide additional humanitarian aid to Gaza, Biden added.
Other attendees at the event then approached Biden and spoke to him.
While Katz did not interrupt their conversations, he remained in the president’s vicinity, waiting for him to elaborate further.
However, when Biden noticed that Katz had not walked away, he suddenly began speaking aggressively to the journalist.
“I see you’re a typical press guy. I can trust you as far as I can throw your phone,” Biden said. “And I have a good arm, I can throw it a long way.”
The president then abruptly changed tact, saying “My point is this…I have made very clear to the Israelis what they have to do in the near term, and if they don’t, what’s going to happen.”
When Katz questioned if that meant the U.S. would cut off funding to Israel should Jerusalem not adhere to American demands, aides swooped in and hustled the journalist away from Biden.
The president reportedly has a testy relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with American media reports claiming that Biden referred to him as an “a-hole” and “bad f-ing guy” in private conversations.
