Joe Biden
US President Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 response and the vaccination programme in the State Dining Room of the White House on May 4, 2021. Image Credit: AFP

Washington: US President Joe Biden sounded an optimistic tone on Wednesday about violence between Israelis and Palestinians concluding soon after he had a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“My expectation and hope is this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself,” Biden told reporters at the White House.