Joe Biden stood firmly behind Israel as it launched its military campaign in Gaza after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.But behind closed doors, the former US president’s patience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was wearing thin. In a startling account of their private conversations, Biden has accused Netanyahu of repeatedly making promises to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza, only to follow them with military actions that killed more Palestinians.The allegations, detailed in Biden’s forthcoming memoir, offer a rare glimpse into the growing distrust between two leaders whose public alliance often concealed deep disagreements over the war.In his forthcoming memoir, Promise Me, America, Biden describes what he calls a recurring pattern in his dealings with Netanyahu. According to excerpts from the book published by CNN, the former US president says he repeatedly urged the Israeli prime minister to take greater precautions to protect Palestinian civilians as the military campaign intensified.Biden writes that Netanyahu acknowledged the rising civilian death toll was damaging Israel’s international standing and weakening American support for the war. However, he claims that these assurances rarely translated into changes on the ground.Describing his frustration, Biden writes, “But a familiar pattern established itself: He would promise to do more, and then another aggressive action would follow, killing more civilians.”The former president goes further, questioning Netanyahu’s intentions and credibility. “Bibi had no qualms about making promises he had no power or intention to keep,” he writes.Biden’s criticism was not limited to Netanyahu’s handling of the military campaign. He also questioned the Israeli prime minister’s political judgement, accusing him of putting his immediate political interests ahead of Israel’s long-term security.“While I understood that he was working under severe pressures, I was frustrated by his failure to think like a statesman and safeguard Israel’s long-term interests, not just his own short-term political needs,” Biden writes in the memoir.The former US president also reflects on the lack of trust between the two leaders, despite their decades-long political relationship. Their disagreements became increasingly difficult to manage as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepened and pressure mounted on Washington to rein in its ally.