US President Joe Biden walked back a claim he made in an interview with Time Magazine published today (Tuesday) that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is dragging out the war with Hamas for political reasons.

When asked about whether he believes the Israeli Premier is playing politics with the prosecution of the war during a speech later today, Biden said, “I don’t think so.”

“He’s trying to work out the serious problem that he has,” he added.

During the Time interview, when asked about the suggestion in Israel that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation, Biden responded, "There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion."

He added, "Before the war began, the blowback he was getting from the Israeli military for wanting to change the court. And so it's an internal domestic debate that seems to have no consequence. And whether he would change his position or not, it's hard to say, but it has not been helpful.”