“This morning I arrived from Israel. I am the first US president to travel there during a war,” he continued, as he spoke with the Israeli prime minister, some members of the Israeli government and civilians who witnessed the attack. Hamas.
According to the US president, more than 1,300 people, including 32 US citizens, were “massacred in Israel”, in addition to dozens of innocent people who were taken “hostages”.
“I said we are making every effort to bring them home. There is no higher priority for a president than ensuring the safety of Americans who are being held hostage.”Biden insisted.
“The Hamas attack has unleashed evil on the world, but unfortunately the Jews know better than anyone that the evil of people knows no bounds.”The president also recalled, clarifying, that he had also spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and assured him that “the United States is committed to your dignity and right to self-determination.”
The actions of Hamas terrorists do not take away that right.
And lamenting the Palestinian victims, Joe Biden referred to the attack on a hospital in Gaza that killed dozens and hundreds, and insisted that “it was not carried out by Israel.”
“We are sorry for the loss of these lives, we are sorry, and we stand with the Palestinians who want to live in peace.”he said.
“The attack on Israel follows a nearly 20-month war against the Ukrainian people since Putin launched his invasion.”The president continued, and recalled “signs of torture”, “children taken by force by the Russians” or mass graves.
“It’s painful. Hamas and Putin pose different threats, but they have one thing in common: they want to completely destroy their neighboring democracy.”
In Biden’s words, Hamas’ sole purpose is to “kill Jews and destroy Israel” and does not represent Palestinians, using them as “human shields” and persecuting Palestinian families.
In his address to the nation, the US president explained that Ukraine’s survival was “critical” to “internal security”.
“When terrorists don’t pay the price for aggression, they cause more chaos, more death, more destruction. They won’t stop, and the cost and threats to Americans around the world won’t stop growing.”, he argued. “If we don’t stop Putin’s appetite for Ukraine, he won’t limit himself to Ukraine.”
Also, “there may be threats in other parts of the world, such as the Middle East.” Iran, for example, “supports Russian forces against Ukraine and supports Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region.”
“American leadership holds the world together. American leadership is what keeps our country safe, and our values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with.Biden said.
“If we turn our backs on Ukraine and Israel we will question all of this.”
therefore, The US president announced on Friday that he would send an “emergency budget request to Congress to fund defense needs”, as well as funding for “partners Israel and Ukraine”.
“This is a sound investment that will pay dividends for our country for generations to come. It will help protect American troops from harm’s way.”
For Israel, the aim is to ensure that “it has what it needs to protect its citizens today and always.”
“The defense package that I am sending to Congress (…) is an unprecedented increase in Israel’s defense aimed at improving Israel’s military forces.”
The US president said the world could not abandon a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine and that the people of both countries deserved to “live in security”.
“No matter how difficult it may be, we cannot give up on peace. We cannot give up on the two-state solution.”Joe Biden said.
“Israel and Palestinians equally deserve to live in security, dignity and peace”He insisted.
“Hardcore explorer. Extreme communicator. Professional writer. General music practitioner. Prone to fits of apathy.”