President Joe Biden called for an “immediate ceasefire” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call between the two leaders on Thursday, threatening to lose U.S. war aid if Israel did not comply.
The White House said in a statement, Said:
President Biden spoke by phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed the situation in Gaza. President Biden emphasized that the strikes against humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable. He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of concrete and measurable measures to address harm to civilians, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers. He made it clear that US policy on Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these measures. He stressed that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and empowered negotiators to reach a deal without delay to bring the hostages home. I asked the prime minister to give it to me. The two leaders also discussed Iran’s public threats against Israel and the Israeli people. President Biden has vowed that the United States will strongly support Israel in the face of these threats.
Biden’s statement confirmed that the United States had effectively accepted Hamas’ request for a ceasefire before agreeing to release the remaining 134 Israeli hostages. The United States had previously agreed with Israel that a ceasefire was contingent on an agreement.
Last month, when the United States abstained and approved UN Security Council Resolution 2728, which separated the hostage trade from the ceasefire, the Biden administration denied changing policy.
White House national security press secretary John Kirby did not specifically address the consequences if Israel fails to make the changes Biden has requested at a news conference.
Kirby said the accidental killing of seven World Central Kitchen workers in an airstrike earlier in the week was one of the most important factors in pushing Biden toward a cease-fire call he had long resisted. said.
The effect of Biden’s demands is that it will be extremely difficult for Israel to achieve its war goals. If it chooses to go after the last Hamas battalion in Rafah, it will do so without U.S. support. And if Israel is to reach a hostage deal, it will have to do so without leveraging U.S. support for continued military operations against Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas’ strategy during the war was to separate Israel from US support. He uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, hoping to maximize civilian casualties and provoke international outrage.
Unless Israel is willing to continue the war in Gaza alone, Biden’s demands signal the success of Hamas’ strategy.
Meanwhile, Israel is bracing for retaliatory strikes from Iran after two Iranian generals were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Syria earlier in the week. Iran arms and funds terrorist proxies attacking Israel.
When FOX News’ Peter Doocy asked Kirby whether Biden’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas was “unwavering,” as he promised after Oct. 7, Kirby answered that promise and policy changes. I had a hard time reconciling my threats.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. He is the author of a recently published e-book.The Zionist conspiracy (and how to join it)‘ is now available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 US Presidential Election. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
