Biden calls Netanyahu an 'asshole' but refuses to change course on Gaza: Report

The US President Joe Biden called the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an "asshole,” according to three of the people directly familiar with his comments, NBC News reported on Monday.

Biden has apparently expressed frustration at his inability to convince Netanyah to change Israel's military tactics in the Gaza Strip and is treating him as a major obstacle in trying to bring about a ceasefire, according to five sources that spoke with NBC News.

The sources are said to have first-hand knowledge of the statements and said Biden said he is trying to get Israel to agree to a ceasefire but Netanyahu is "giving him hell" and is impossible to deal with.

Despite the apparent harsh words being expressed by Biden, people familiar with the conversation told NBC News that the US president believes it would be counterproductive for him to be too harsh on Netanyahu publicly. 

Administration officials speaking to NBC News said that Biden is not prepared to make any policy shifts regarding Israel and continues to believe that the approach of unequivocally supporting Israel is still the right one.