Biden, Irish leader discuss Gaza cease-fire during White house sit-down

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden hosted Irish leader Leo Vardakar at the White House Friday amid stark differences over Israel's war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

Vardakar, Ireland's Taoiseach (prime minister), said in brief remarks before reporters that he would speak with Biden during closed-door discussions about establishing an immediate halt to the hostilities in the coastal enclave.

"I am quite keen to talk about situation in Gaza as well. You know my view that we need to have a cease-fire as soon as possible to get food and medicine in," Vardkar said as Biden chimed in: "I agree."

"We need to talk about how we can make that happen and move towards a two-state solution, which I think is the only the only way we'll have lasting peace and security," he added, with Biden also backing the proposal.

Ireland has long been one of the most vocal critics of Israel in Europe, and opposition has grown dramatically amid the ongoing war on Gaza in which over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over a million survivors have been displaced.

That fervor has also been directed at the US for Biden's steadfast support for Israel, at least to date.

Biden has long resisted calls for a permanent cease-fire to halt the war in Gaza, but has in recent weeks thrown his weight behind a temporary six-week pause in the hostilities that could be extended further in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas following an October cross-border raid on Israel.

Appearing to smooth over his differences with the Irish leader, the US president said he and Vardakar are "working together to increase humanitarian assistance in Gaza. And we both know that a whole lot more has to be done."