The Biden-Harris White House abruptly canceled a private phone call between President Joe Biden and Jewish community leaders on Tuesday, just 90 minutes before the call was set to take place.
Biden was scheduled to speak Tuesday afternoon with American Jewish leaders ahead of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, which marks the Jewish new year. The holiday begins at sundown on Tuesday evening. Shelley Greenspan, the White House’s liaison to the Jewish community, had invited leaders to participate in "a special Jewish High Holidays call with President Joe Biden as he offers his greetings for the new year," according to a copy of the invitation, and sent a reminder for the call late Tuesday morning, well after reports indicated Iran was set to unleash a massive missile attack on Israel.
The event was canceled 45 minutes later.
"I’m writing to let you know the president’s schedule has shifted and we need to reschedule today’s call for another day," Greenspan wrote, according to a copy of the follow-up note. "I apologize for the inconvenience and will be back in touch as soon as possible with the rescheduled time."
The cancellation comes as the world turns its focus to Israel and the White House’s response to a major Iranian escalation in the region.
The Biden-Harris administration has been sending mixed messages on Israel in recent days, promising to defend the Jewish state while also pressuring it to scale back military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah forces.
On Monday, senior administration officials leaked key details of Israel’s battle plans along the Lebanon border as part of a diplomatic pressure tactic to end the country’s siege on Iran-backed Hezbollah forces. The leak frustrated the Jewish state, according to an Israeli official.
"We didn't like it. The leaks were a dangerous move. They endangered the fighting forces," the official told Kann 11 reporter Amichai Stein on Tuesday. "This was done even though the U.S. supported the operation, but it is clear to us that the U.S. is worried—and therefore, they outed the operation to try and limit it."
At the same time, the United States moved forces and personnel into the Middle East to help defend Israel against Iran’s missile attack.
Shortly after Iran began firing missiles, the White House said that both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are "monitoring" the attack from inside the Situation Room.
"Biden directed the U.S. military to aid Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles that are targeting Israel," the White House said in a statement.