President Biden has come under fire from Democrats and Republicans this week over his response to Monday’s Israeli airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza.
On Tuesday, the 81-year-old Biden said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the death of an aid worker delivering food to residents of the Gaza Strip, but backed Israel in its war against Hamas. He did not signal a change in his approach to the administration.
In a public statement, the president placed the blame squarely on Israel, calling for an “accountable” investigation and confirming that the Jewish state “takes sufficient measures to protect aid workers” in the Palestinian territories. “I haven’t done it,” he said.
In private, Politico coverageBiden was “outraged” by the airstrike and was also “furious” when he was informed that the IDF had mistakenly targeted members of celebrity chef Jose Andres’ humanitarian group.
Jon Favreau, former speechwriter for former President Barack Obama and host of “Pod Save America,” says personal expressions of anger are not enough in the wake of Monday’s tragedy. and lashed out at Biden for the report.
“A president who still refuses to influence the IDF to stop the killing and starvation of innocent people does not get the credit for being ‘personally outraged,'” Favreau said. I wrote to X.
“These stories only make him look weak,” he added.
Democratic Michigan Rep. Abraham Ayyash argued that “action is more important than dialogue.” Tweet for Biden.
“The president is prioritizing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Israel over the protection of innocent lives and basic human decency, and as a result, American democracy is at risk of collapse,” he added.
Meanwhile, some Republicans accused the president of directing his anger at Israel rather than Hamas.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) said Biden is furious that American and Israeli hostages are being brutalized by Hamas savages and that Hamas is responsible for all the tragedies. Why don’t you remember one thing?” annoyed by X.
“Biden has abandoned Israel,” he added.
Rep. Mike Walz (R-Fla.) said the Biden administration mistakenly targeted aid worker Zemari Ahmadi and killed him and his family in a drone strike as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021. He pointed out that he did.
“Reminder: The Biden administration launched drone strikes on aid workers and their families during the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal,” Walz tweeted. “There was no responsibility for that action.”
“Mr. Biden may want to refrain from righteous indignation and criticism,” he added.
At least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the United Nations.
