Knesset speaker Ohana discusses Biden admin. 30-day deadline with US's Mike Johnson

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana thanked his US counterpart Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) for his “personal involvement in assisting Israel throughout the war” in a Friday morning phone call, according to a spokesperson for Ohana. 

Ohana updated Johnson on “details regarding the elimination of Sinwar and discussed the expected implications.”

According to Ohana’s office, the Knesset speaker also discussed the letter sent from Biden administration officials earlier this week which warned the Israeli government of a 30 day timeline to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza before military aid implications could have to be reconsidered under US and international law. 

Ohana’s office described this rhetoric of conditioning aid to Israel as “morally wrong and signals to the terrorist organizations in the Middle East and their handlers in the Ayatollah regime that they have a chance to escape justice.”

Radio silence from the Biden administration

The Biden administration has remained silent on Israel’s response to the letter which its maintained was meant to be private communication between the Pentagon, State Department and Israel. 

Since the letter was leaked, the State Department has insisted it wants to see Israel make the necessary changes to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza following the past two months, which saw the lowest amount of aid enter the strip since the war began more than a year ago. 

“Now, more than ever, the free world must increase pressure on the axis of terror, darkness, and oppression—and work towards its dismantling,” Ohana’s office said. 

Ohana ended the conversation by inviting Johnson to address the Israeli people before the Knesset plenary.