Washington: The United States continues to monitor the situation in Israel very closely, President Joe Biden said Wednesday observing that the terrorist attack by Hamas has brought back painful memories of a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people.
Biden termed Saturday’s attack the “deadliest day” for Jews since the Holocaust.
“We continue to monitor the situation in Israel very closely, and the vice president and I and the bulk of my security team spoke with the Prime Minister, Netanyahu, again this morning,” Biden said. “This attack has brought to the surface the painful memories and scars left by a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people,” he said.
“In this moment, we have to be crystal clear. There is no justification for terrorism. No excuse. And the type of terrorism that was exhibited here was just beyond the pale. Beyond the pale. My commitment to Israel’s security and the safety of the Jewish people is unshakeable. The United States has Israel’s back. We are going to be working on this all through today and beyond,” Biden said.
Over 1,200 people have been killed in Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, which has countered with airstrikes in Gaza in which around 1,100 people have been killed.
Later in the afternoon, Biden stopped by a roundtable with Jewish community leaders and reaffirmed his unwavering support for Israel over the terrorist attacks.
Biden said that this is “deadliest day” for Jews since the Holocaust, the deadliest day since the Holocaust.
“I mean silence is complicity. It really is. And I want you to know, I think you’ve already figured it out, I refuse to be silent, and I know you refuse to be silent as well,” he said.
“It has been hard to find that light during the darkness of these past few days, when terrorist groups like Hamas brought not only terror but sheer evil, sheer evil to the world, evil that echoes the worst and matches, in some cases exceeds, the worst atrocities of ISIS, more than 1,000 civilians slaughtered in Israel,” he said.
Biden said he has been speaking with a number of Israeli leaders, a number of leaders around the world, leaders in the region as well. “Among those who have been victimised by this evil and have been killed, are at least 22 American citizens. This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty, not just hate, but pure cruelty against the Jewish people,” he said.
The president told the Jewish community leaders that America is not and can’t be silent. “We not only reject terrorism, but it goes beyond that. It goes beyond rejecting terrorism. You know, I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu for I don’t know how many times, but again this morning,” he said.
The US is extending additional military assistance to the Israeli Defense Force, including ammunition, interceptors to replenish the Iron Dome. It has also moved a US carrier fleet to the eastern Mediterranean as a deterrence. “We are sending more fighter jets there in that region and made it clear, made it clear to the Iranians, be careful,” he said.
“We want to make it real clear. We’re working on every aspect of the hostage crisis in Israel, including deploying experts to advise and assist with recovery efforts,” he said.
Biden also slammed “the downplaying of Hamas’ atrocities and blaming Israel”, terming it “unconscionable”.
“I have asked members of my team, including Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and Attorney General Garland to work intensively with our Jewish community partners, so many of you here, to set up security around Jewish life in America identify, prevent and disrupt emerging threats that occur,” the US president said.
The US is also going to continue to condemn and combat anti-Semitism at every single turn. “The past few days have been a solemn reminder that hate never goes away,” he said.
“Israel is doing everything in its power to pull the country together, stay on the same page and the US is going to do everything in its power to make sure they succeed, and God willing, to bring home those Americans who are in harm’s way,” Biden said.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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