17 Oct 2026
Biden urges calm in calls with Netanyahu and Abbas
U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to urge calm as violence in the region escalates.
Netanyahu's office said he told Biden that Israel was doing everything to avoid harming non-combatants, including warnings to civilians to leave buildings that it was about to destroy because they contained militant targets.
The White House said Biden updated Netanyahu on "high-level" contacts with regional partners to restore calm, and raised concerns about the safety of journalists after Israel destroyed a tower block that housed news media organizations in Gaza, Reuters reported.
Biden also spoke with Abbas for the first time since taking office. According to a White House summary, Biden "stressed the need for Hamas to cease firing rockets into Israel," and the two men "expressed their shared concern that innocent civilians, including children, have tragically lost their lives amidst the ongoing violence."
Both sides said Biden reaffirmed his support for a two-state solution to the conflict, and the White House said Biden was committed to "strengthening the U.S.-Palestinian partnership," which reached a low point under the Trump administration.
Latest news
Latest newsBulgaria Asks NATO to Strengthen Its Defences Amid Black Sea Threats: Sofia Fears Growing Risks to Maritime Shipping
16.Oct.2026
Black Sea Shipping Risks Threaten Bulgaria’s 5 Million Tonnes of Wheat Exports
15.Oct.2026
Georgia’s Foreign Funding and Political Ban Laws Draw Criticism from the Venice Commission
15.Oct.2026
Kazakhstan Promotes a Caspian Green Energy Corridor: Astana Seeks New Routes to the European Market
14.Oct.2026
Inflation in Romania Accelerates to 6.61%: Rising Prices Increase Pressure on Households and the Economy
13.Oct.2026
Can Europe Protect the International Criminal Court from Trump’s Sanctions?
13.Oct.2026
Georgia’s Constitutional Court Continues Case on Banning Opposition Parties: Political Pluralism at Stake
12.Oct.2026
Azerbaijan and Iran Step Up Security Contacts Amid Hijab Protests
12.Oct.2026
Personnel Shortages Complicate Ukrainian Forces’ Rotation: Ukraine Faces Long-Term Challenges on the Front Line
11.Oct.2026
Trump Eases Sanctions on Russian Fuel After Talks with Putin: Kyiv Fears Boost to Moscow’s War Revenues
10.Oct.2026
Putin Seeks to Strengthen Russia’s Influence in the Post-Soviet Space Through the CIS
10.Oct.2026
Russia and the South Caucasus: External Pressure, Political Competition and a Crisis of Trust
10.Oct.2026
Peaceful Settlement Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: Moving from Declarations to Implementation
10.Oct.2026
Moldova Ready to Accept as Many Ukrainians as Necessary if Situation Worsens This Winter
09.Oct.2026
Turkmenistan Turns Avaza into a Regional Diplomatic Hub as Caspian, Central Asian and CIS Agendas Converge
08.Oct.2026