Biden warns Israel of losing international support due to targeting civilians in Gaza
The American president criticizes the Israeli government, considering it the most extreme and conservative in the history of the Hebrew state, as it rejects the two-state solution
The U.S. stance is gradually changing concerning unconditional support for Israel in its war on Gaza, based on field developments and the pressures faced by President Joe Biden‘s administration in the United States and internationally, amid the rising civilian death toll.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel is on the verge of losing global support for its war against Hamas due to its “indiscriminate” shelling of Gaza. In his strongest criticism of Netanyahu since the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th, which ignited the current war, the U.S. president stated during an election event in Washington that the Israeli prime minister should “change” his position on the two-state solution.
In response, Netanyahu acknowledged a “disagreement” with Biden regarding how Gaza should be governed after the current war. These statements mark a rare public disagreement between the two sides after weeks of unwavering U.S. support for Israel.
During a fundraising event in Washington, Biden mentioned that Israel currently enjoys support from “Europe” and “most countries in the world” after the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas from Gaza, adding, “But they (the Israelis) are starting to lose this support because of the indiscriminate bombing that is happening.”
Hamas‘s attack resulted in 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Additionally, around 240 individuals were abducted by Hamas fighters and taken to Gaza, where they are being held hostage. One hundred thirty-seven of them are still detained in the enclave.
In response to the attack, Israel pledged to “eliminate” Hamas, conducting extensive ground and air strikes in Gaza since October 27th. The Israeli response has so far led to the deaths of 18,412 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas government.
In his address, the U.S. president affirmed that there is “no doubt about the necessity of eliminating Hamas.” However, he denied the justifications Netanyahu provided for the Israeli military’s bombing of Gaza, especially regarding his claim that the Allied forces “flattened” Nazi Germany and used nuclear weapons against Japan during World War II.
Biden explained that he told Netanyahu that after World War II, international institutions were established “to ensure that it never happens again,” confirming that the United States made “mistakes” after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
For Biden, Netanyahu now faces a “tough decision” regarding his right-wing government. The U.S. president said about the Israeli prime minister, “He’s a good friend, but I think he has to change, and with this government, this government in Israel makes it hard for him to move.”
He added, “They don’t want anything close to a two-state solution,” describing Netanyahu‘s government as the “most conservative government in the history of Israel.”
On Monday evening, during a ceremony at the White House for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, Biden emphasized the need for Israelis to “be cautious” because “world public opinion can change at any time.” For weeks, the U.S. administration has been urging Israel to exercise more caution in its military operations in Gaza to avoid civilian casualties, stating that the number of Palestinian casualties is too high.
Biden also touched on the often tense relationship between him and the Israeli prime minister. On Monday evening, Biden said that Netanyahu has a picture on his desk showing them together when the American president was a young senator, noting that he wrote on the picture the following statement: “Bibi (Netanyahu‘s nickname), I love you very much, but I don’t agree with anything you say.” He told representatives of the Jewish community invited to the White House, “This is still true today.”
On Tuesday, following a conversation with Biden, Netanyahu stated that there is a “disagreement” between the two sides regarding what should be done “after eliminating Hamas.” The Israeli prime minister expressed hope “that we reach an agreement on this matter,” but pledged “not to repeat the mistake of Oslo,” referring to the peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.”
