Biden In Sudden About-Face: Israel 'Losing Support' Due To 'Indiscriminate Bombing'
In a sudden about-face, President Biden in a speech on Tuesday began aggressively criticizing Israel and the Netanyahu government for the first time since the Oct.7 Hamas terror attacks.
Calling the Israeli prime minister a "good friend" - Biden said "I believe he has to change" as the government in Israel and the ongoing military campaign which has killed many is "making it very difficult for the world."
“This is the most conservative government in Israel’s history,” Biden said, adding that the Israeli government “doesn’t want a two-state solution.”
He issued the unprecedented words during a Tuesday fundraiser address.
He underscored that while the US stands with Israel and will continue supporting its counter-terror operations, "They're starting to lose that support' due to indiscriminate bombing."
He continued by saying the "world is looking at Israel" - a reference to its increasing isolation on a global stage over the soaring death toll (Palestinian sources have cited a death toll surpassing 17,700) before laying down a rare ultimatum of sorts. Biden said that Netanyahu can't say "no" to a Palestinian state in the future.
Biden's words appeared to be in direct response to statements of Netanyahu from Monday. The Israeli leader pledged that his administration would block an US proposed postwar plan to have the Palestinian Authority take over Gaza.
The two leaders are now very openly at odds on strategy concerning the ongoing Gaza operation, ironically after the US has given Israel over $3 billion annually in foreign and defense aid.
"After the great sacrifice of our civilians and our soldiers, I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism and finance terrorism," Netanyahu had said.
"I will not allow Israel to repeat the mistake of Oslo," he had added.
Biden's words are unexpected to say the least, given it was just last Friday that the United States was the lone "no" vote at a UN National Security Council meeting on a simple resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza.
So strangely, Biden now says Israel is being "difficult" and is "losing support" - and simultaneously it has remained Washington that's blocked international efforts at pushing for ceasefire.
Bloomberg observes:
Biden’s comments at a Tuesday fundraiser marked some of his strongest criticism of Netanyahu’s government since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct 7. The Israeli leader said hours earlier he has a “disagreement” with the US president about the future of the post-conflict Gaza Strip, rejecting Biden’s proposal for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to take control.
Is Biden changing tune because he's losing his Liberal base, amid strong Trump polling, going into the 2024 election?
