Katz: Biden’s words come from his genuine friendship for Israel  

Senior cabinet minister Israel Katz responded Monday to US President Joe Biden’s call on PM Binyamin Netanyahu to rein in the extremists in his government. In a CNN interview, Biden said: “It’s not all Israel now in the West Bank, all Israel’s problem, but they are a part of the problem and particularly those individuals in the cabinet who say, ‘We can settle anywhere we want. They have no right to be here, etc.,’” Biden said. “Hopefully Bibi will continue to move towards moderation and change.” The president ducked  questions about whether the prime minister would finally get an invitation to the White House by noting that President Yitzhak Herzog is due for a visit soon.

Katz admitted that the prime minister and the majority behind him are at odds with “others.” He stressed that Biden’s critical remarks arose from “his genuine friendship for Israel.”