Biden cajoles Netanyahu with tough talk, humanitarian concerns but Israeli PM remains dug in

By AAMER MADHANI, TIA GOLDENBERG and ZEKE MILLER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has stepped up public pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, warning he’s “hurting Israel” and speaking candidly about “come to Jesus” conversations with the leader over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite Biden’s increased displays of frustration, Israeli officials and Middle East analysts say no signs are emerging that Biden can push Israel, at least in the short term, to fundamentally alter how it’s prosecuting the conflict that is entering a new dangerous phase. Biden this weekend in an MSNBC interview warned Netanyahu that an attack of Rafah—where hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans have congregated—would be a “red line” and that  Israel “cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead.”