Published October 15, 2023
While Joe Biden has been saying he stands rock solid with Israel, he’s already made clear that isn’t quite true. As we reported, during a “60 Minutes” interview, he threw them somewhat under the bus when he said he thought it would be a “big mistake” if they occupied Gaza.
“I think it’d be a big mistake,” Biden said about an occupation.
“Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again.”
That’s trying to hem Israel in in and cut off their legs, saying well, you can respond to the terrorists but not then giving them free rein to do so. So exactly how is that standing rock solid with them when you are already chopping down their options to fully take out the enemy that wants to eradicate them?
“Extreme elements of Hamas?” Are there non-extreme elements of a terroristic organization? What is he even talking about? Either you believe Hamas should be eliminated or you do not; you don’t play these splitting hair games. While there are good and bad consequences of occupation, if you do stand with Israel, you support them in defending themselves fully. Hamas is an existential threat to Israel’s existence. If they don’t fully deal with them now, they’re in deep trouble, as all the bad actors are assembling to do Israel in.
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SOURCE: https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2023/10/16/biden-tires-to-hem-in-israel-while-making-some-of-the-same-wrong-moves-hes-made-before-n2165108
RELATED: ‘DON’T’: Biden Tells 60 Minutes His Message On Iran, Hezbollah Involvement in Israel-Hamas War is ‘Don’t, Don’t, Don’t’
Published October 15, 2023
On 60 Minutes, President Joe Biden said his message for Hezbollah, which is already reportedly in new border skirmishes with Israeli forces, and its backer Iran, which also supports Hamas, is: “Don’t. Don’t, don’t, don’t.”
Biden spoke with CBS News correspondent and co-host Scott Pelley about the Hamas terror attack and war, the involvement of the United States, and the president’s views on what can or should happen next.
In one exchange during the pre-recorded sit-down, Pelley asked Biden about Hezbollah and Iran. The question of whether Iran was directly involved in the specific planning of this most recent terror attack is still being investigated, according to administration spox John Kirby, although the country “of course” is “complicit” in the attack, he explained on Fox News, as a funder and trainer and arms supplier.
On 60 Minutes, after Biden said that he thinks Israel “understands that a significant portion of the Palestinian people do not share the views of Hamas and Hezbollah,” Pelley asked him about their involvement.
“There’s limited fighting already on the northern Israeli border. And I wonder, what is your message to Hezbollah and its backer, Iran?” Pelley asked.
“Don’t. Don’t, don’t, don’t,” said Biden.
“Don’t come across the border? Don’t escalate this war?” Pelley clarified.
“That’s right,” said Biden.
Pelley then asked him if Iran is “behind” the attack and war. Biden answered that there’s no evidence yet establishing that.
PELLEY: Is Iran behind the Gaza war?
BIDEN: I don’t want to get into classified information, but to be very blunt with you, there’s no clear evidence of that.
PELLEY: At this point, no evidence that Iran is behind any of this.
BIDEN: Correct. Now, Iran constantly supports Hamas and Hezbollah. I don’t mean that. But in terms of were they, did they have foreknowledge that they are planning the attack? They – there’s there’s no evidence of that at this point.
Whether any specific paper trail links Iran directly to the immediate pre-planning of the attack may seem like a bit of red herring in the grand scheme of Iran’s enormous and long-term backing, funding, and training of terrorists, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for such attacks for decades and his immediate solidarity with and support of the attack after it happened, but the administration is keyed on specifics due to its transfer just last month of $6 billion to Iran in a prisoner swap deal.
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SOURCE: https://www.mediaite.com/news/dont-biden-tells-60-minutes-his-message-on-iran-hezbollah-involvement-in-israel-hamas-war-is-dont-dont-dont/
RELATED: Biden is ‘weighing’ a visit to Israel for show of solidarity
A trip, which is not yet confirmed, could happen as soon as this week, if it takes place at all.
President Joe Biden has told aides he’s interested in going, as his presence would demonstrate strong U.S. support. | Susan Walsh/AP
Published October 15, 2023
The Biden administration is considering a presidential visit to Israel as a sign of support for the country following the brutal attack by Hamas.
Two U.S. officials, granted anonymity to detail sensitive internal discussions, said President Joe Biden could land in Israel as early as this week. But they stress a trip might not happen any time soon, or at all, depending on the security situation in Israel and the state of a war that is quickly spiraling out of control. Israel is on the verge of ordering a ground invasion of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Biden to visit when the two men spoke on Saturday, the officials said, with one of them saying the administration was “weighing” the offer.
Biden has told aides he’s interested in going, as his presence would demonstrate strong U.S. support after Hamas killed more than 1,300 Israelis and took around 150 hostages, including Americans. But the likelihood of escalating hostilities could mean that any future trip occurs during a particularly precarious point in the developing war.
