Israel has been on a war footing ever since thousands of Hamas gunmen poured out of Gaza and launched a wave of murder on October 7.
It has kept up a steady bombardment of Gaza as it prepares for a likely ground invasion.
President Joe Biden warned Israel not to become consumed with rage even as he promised that the U.S. stood with Israelis and their demand for justice after suffering a slaughter equivalent to fifteen 9/11s.
He delivered a speech laden with anger at the end of a day in Tel Aviv meeting Israeli leaders and victims of the Hamas terror attack.
Biden’s commitment to stand with Israel
‘We’ve seen it described as Israel’s 9/11,’ said Biden. ‘For a nation the size of Israel it was like fifteen 9/11s.
‘The scale may be different, but I’m sure those horrors have tapped in to sow some kind of primal feeling in Israel just like it did in America: Shock pain, rage … an all-consuming rage.’
The words were part of day’s main message: Biden’s commitment to stand with Israel after 1,300 people were murdered by Hamas gunmen.
However, his trip was overshadowed by a blame game over who was responsible for an explosion that killed 500 people at a Gaza hospital.
The fallout meant plans for a summit of Arab leaders in Jordan were abandoned, undermining some of the goals of Biden’s trip.
Instead he used his speech in Tel Aviv to reiterate U.S. support for an eventual Palestinian state and announce $100 million in aid for Gaza and the West Bank.
Biden warns Israel
He also warned Israel against letting fury guide its response.
‘You can’t look at what has happened here to mothers and fathers, grandparents, sons, daughters, children, even babies and not scream out for justice,’ he said.
‘Justice must be done.
‘But I caution this: While you feel that rage, don’t be consumed by it. After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States.
‘While we sought justice and got justice we also made mistakes.’
His words reflected a delicate balancing act. While he offered full-throated support for Israel as it prepares for a ground invasion of Gaza, U.S. officials know that spiraling civilian casualties would play into the hands of groups like Hamas, and their Iranian sponsors, who want to foment a wider conflict.
But he promised to keep Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system fully supplied.
‘My administration has been in close touch with your leadership from the first moments of this attack. We’re going to make sure you have what what you need to protect your people, to defend your nation,’ he said.
‘For decades. we’ve ensured Israel’s qualitative military edge and later this week I’m going to ask the United States Congress for unprecedented support package for Israel’s defense.’
