This is about Joe Biden: a forked-tongued hypocrite who plays both sides at once. And about what everyone who loves Israel is called upon to do now. (Please read to the bottom!)
Earlier this week he gave a very effective talk about anti-Semitism. I received messages from people who said the talk was great.
Yes, it was great if words alone – spoken without sincerity or heart – can be praised. For that is what the talk was: Just Words.
Biden – who has been attempting to appeal to the Muslims who represent a sizeable number in key states such as Minnesota and to the far left-progressive element in the Democratic party – believed that with that appeal he was securing his re-election. But it came to his attention that he was losing the Jewish/pro-Israel segment of the electorate.
And thus his talk on anti-Semitism. It was a quintessential example of his propensity for playing both sides at the same time.
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The irony, the very bitter irony, of his talking about the problem of anti-Semitism is that the worst anti-Semites in the world right now are found in Hamas, which echoes the rhetoric and the ethos of the Nazis. (Copies of Hitler’s Mein Kampf translated into Arabic have been found in Gaza.)
They do not “merely” speak hatefully about Jews: They act on this hatred – most bloodchillingly with the massacre of 1,200 on October 7, a massacre they have vowed to repeat again and again.
And yet, although he speaks with concern about anti-Semitism, his support for the right of the Jewish State to emerge victorious from the war with Hamas has been highly qualified. This is in spite of the fact that an Israeli victory is essential to ensuring that Jews will not again be attacked by Hamas. When I speak of being “attacked” by them, I do not “only” mean being killed by them, as horrendous as that was. They tortured innocent Jews and used rape as a weapon – raping many women before killing them.
Again and again Biden has put up roadblocks to Israel’s military success, most consistently by making ludicrous claims that Israel must proceed without harming a single civilian in Gaza. He has made these demands even though the IDF has the best record in the world with regard to protecting civilians and has the lowest ratio of civilians vs. combattants killed. And even though America in recent decades has killed many tens of thousands of civilians in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
We’ve seen it over the course of many weeks: Biden’s equivocation with regard to Israel’s right to proceed in the war.
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Now we have reached a situation that is shocking in its audacity and has enraged many, many people – none more so than those of us in Israel.
I seriously doubt that there are many reading this who are not aware of the situation:
Israel has achieved considerable military success in parts of Gaza. But it has been made clear that Hamas will not be defeated until we go into Rafah, in the far south of Gaza, where four of the remaining six Hamas battalions are located.
Biden has been warning that he will not support a major IDF operation in Rafah. Every plan for the evactuation of civilians prior to such an operation that Israel has submitted to the US has been rejected as inadequate; it became obvious that there was not going to be any plan that the Biden administration would find acceptable.
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In spite of American objections, the IDF entered the eastern portion of Rafah two days ago. Prior to this, movement of civilians from the eastern part of Rafah to prepared humanitarian areas in Al Mawasi, which is east of Khan Yunis, and in Khan Yunis, had begun.
Long overdue, the movement into Rafah was precipitated by a missile/mortar attack by Hamas from inside Rafah toward the area of the the Erez Shalom crossing; this resulted in the killing of four soldiers and injury to at least 10 other individuals.
Tanks rolled in and there was some bombing – including of rocket launchers, but there as yet has been no involvement of ground troops.
Within a day, the IDF had succeed in securing the Rafah crossing into Egypt, a major success.
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One of the tactics that Biden had utilized in an attempt to keep Israel out of Rafah was to push for a hostage agreement, which would have called for a ceasefire – a ceasefire that the US explicity said should be made permanent. (A technique for keeping Israel out of Rafah.) Hamas was uncooperative, rejecting multiple proposals and stalling.
Hamas had rejected the latest proposal just before the IDF went into Rafah. But no sooner had we gone in, then Hamas declared a willingness to accept the proposal. Surprise!!
As it turned out, the “proposal” they accepted was not the one that had been on the table. On examination, this “proposal” was horrendous – callling for complete withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, the release from our prison of major terrorists with blood on their hands, and a good deal more.
There were rumors that Biden had known about these changes and not alerted Israel. Now there are firm indications that this indeed was the case.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389541
As journalist Barak Ravid wrote at the time, “The episode has created deep disappointment and suspicion among senior Israeli officials regarding the US role in the hostage deal talks…”
The suspicion of the Biden administration here in Israel is very deep and very extensive. He has destroyed trust. This is just oe instance of his failure to play straight.
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Biden had been suggesting – threatening – that if Israel moved into the major urban centers of Rafah that he would withhold major offensive weapons from Israel.
He does not have the power to permanently stop the shipment of these weapons, but only to delay their delivery – although such a delay might be extensive.
The major weapons in question are 2,000 and 3,000 bombs. My understanding is that this package of equipment includes attachments to bombs that render them precision bombs. There is enormous irony here as well. For if our “regular” bombs are converted to smart bombs that head towards their targets with precision this will prevent some damage to civilians. Another example, I would suggest, of Biden’s hypocrisy, as he claims to be concerned about civilian deaths.
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I share here a video of comments by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), in a meeting with US army brass including Defense Secretary Austin, regarding this situation. At the point at which this took place, the idea of withholding weapons shipments was still under consideration.
His points are superb. THIS IS A MUST SEE:
Click on picture to view video
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Biden is no longer “considering” action, he has now made a decision:
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gone in Rafah yet [i.e., into the urban centers] – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389648
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What Biden would do then is figuratively tie one hand behind our back as we seek to fight an existential war.
His signal to Hamas, and to Iran, is clear.
This is the same Biden who said on October 8, one day after the massacre:
“My administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock-solid and unwavering…We will never fail to have Israel’s back.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/biden-we-will-never-fail-to-have-israels-back/
What he has done now is not only to let down Israel and strengthen terrorist elements, he has damaged the reputation of his country. What good are alliances with the US if they can be overturned this easily? There are likely to be repercussions here.
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On more mark of Biden’s deviousness is this:
U.S. President Joe Biden delayed revealing that he ordered an arms shipment to Israel be paused last week until after he delivered a Holocaust remembrance day address at the U.S. Capitol – that is, his talk on anti-Semitism. He knew when he delivered it what he was planning.
https://www.jns.org/biden-reportedly-delayed-saying-he-withheld-arms-from-israel-until-after-holocaust-speech/
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There are many good people in the US furious about Biden’s decision.
I note in particular House Speaker Mike Johnson who accused Biden of defying the will of Congress by threatening to halt weapons shipments and of “trying to dictate … and micromanage the war, the defense effort in Israel, as a condition of supplying the weapons that we all know that they desperately need.”
Johnson said he felt betrayed by Biden after learning that he is willing to withhold offensive weapons to Israel and accused the president of reneging on the deal they made to pass aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan last month.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/09/johnson-slams-bidens-senior-moment-on-israel-aid
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Netanyahu has said we will stand alone if we have to. We must, and we will, take down Hamas. This echoes his talk during Yom Hashoach.
The good news is that spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military has the munitions it requires for the operations.
“The army has armaments for the missions it plans, and for the missions in Rafah too – we have what we need.”
Said Bibi: If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.”
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Both the War Cabinet and the Security Cabinet will be meeting on how to proceed.
In the face of everything else this has repercussions on any potential hostage deal.
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But now my American friends, I turn to you. Already Biden is on the defensive, saying that a major operation in Rafah would have just emboldened Hamas. That is, he was doing us a favor.
Biden has his eye on his re-election with everything he is doing. So it is your task, there in America, to let him know he has calculated badly.
He must understand that there is a center to the electorate that might have supported him but is now thoroughly disgusted with his actions. This is not all about Muslims and far-left progressives. That center, which no longer trusts him or believes he will stand by Israel, can turn the election.
He must know that he is being watched and assessed.
In every venue, however it is possible, this message must be delivered. In op-eds and talk-backs and letters to the editor, as well as in messages to the White House. There must be a groundswell of protest that unsettles the president.
Each of you, please, and calling on others to participate.
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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
