Biden tells Israel not to let ‘rage’ fuel Hamas response, cites post-9/11 ‘mistakes’
President Biden said America has Israel’s back Wednesday while visiting Tel Aviv, but warned the Jewish state’s leaders to not allow “rage” to fuel looming military operations in Hamas-ruled Gaza — citing US “mistakes” after 9/11.
Biden also announced $100 million in humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and plans to ask Congress for an “unprecedented” military aid package for Israel.
The 80-year-old president met with survivors of the Oct. 7 slaughter in southern Israel as well as with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of his war Cabinet and Israeli President Issac Herzog, but didn’t mention Iran’s alleged role in planning the assault that killed more than 1,400 people, including 30 Americans.
“I’m so proud of you,” Biden said while hugging 25-year-old Inbal Lieberman, who has been hailed as a hero for successfully organizing the defense of the kibbutz where she was director of security.
Biden also met grandmother Rachel Edri, who was held hostage in her home for 20 hours by Hamas terrorists until she was rescued.
The president visited Israel in a show of support, saying in Tel Aviv that the country “must again be a safe place for the Jewish people.
“And I promise you we will do everything in our power to make sure that it will be,” Biden said, after blaming “the other team” for a Tuesday hospital explosion in Gaza that forced the cancellation of planned meetings with Arab leaders in Jordan.
“For decades, we’ve ensured Israel’s qualitative military edge. Later this week, I’m going to ask the United States Congress for an unprecedented support package for Israel’s defense,” the president added.
Biden told the press that he had insisted that Israel release humanitarian aid to Gazans as food and supplies run low — warning Israel not to make “mistakes” like the US did during its foreign wars after 9/11.
“You can’t look at what has happened here to your mothers, your fathers, your grandparents, sons, daughters, children, even babies and not scream out for justice. Justice must be done,” Biden said.
“But I caution this: While you feel that rage, don’t be consumed by it. After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States. While we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes.”
Follow along with The Post’s live blog for the latest on Hamas’ attack on Israel
Biden then announced “$100 million of new US funding for humanitarian assistance in both Gaza and the West Bank. This money will support more than 1 million displaced and conflict-affected Palestinians, including emergency needs in Gaza.”
The president didn’t specify how the aid would be administered and the White House did not immediately provide additional details other than to say, “The United States provides humanitarian assistance through trusted partners including UN agencies and international NGOs.”
In a tweet, Biden wrote, “we will have mechanisms in place so this aid reaches those in need — not Hamas or terrorist groups.”
Republican critics slammed the announcement, warning the aid would end up in the hands of jihadists.
“Just days ago, Hamas stole humanitarian aid — including fuel and medical supplies — from the UN,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). “We should not be sending American taxpayer dollars to support terrorists that are currently holding Americans hostage, and we should never place conditions on our support for Israel.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, tweeted: “No U.S. tax dollars to the Gaza Strip. Hamas is holding American hostages and Biden wants to fund them? I challenge every Republican running to step up to the plate and oppose Biden’s $100 million gift to Hamas.”
“Biden just announced he’s going to be giving $100 million to the ‘Gaza Strip’ aka Hamas,” tweeted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). “The same amount of money Iran gives Hamas every single year. There is now no difference between Joe Biden and the Ayatollah of Iran.”
It’s unclear if Republicans have any path to block the spending or if it has already been earmarked by the State Department.
The Palestinian government is divided in two, with Hamas ruling Gaza since 2007 after winning 2006 legislative elections.
The Fatah faction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization nominally controls West Bank areas not directly administered by Israel.
Fatah is led by President Mahmoud Abbas, who is in the 18th year of a four-year term that was supposed to end in 2009.
Israel-Hamas war: How we got here
2005: Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip more than three decades after winning the territory from Egypt in the Six-Day War.
2006: Terrorist group Hamas wins a Palestinian legislative election.
2007: Hamas seizes control of Gaza in a civil war.
2008: Israel launches military offensive against Gaza after Palestinian terrorists fired rockets into the town of Sderot.
2023: Hamas launches the biggest attack on Israel in 50 years, in an early-morning ambush Oct. 7, firing thousands of rockets and sending dozens of militants into Israeli towns.
Terrorists killed more than 1,200 Israelis, wounded more than 4,200, and took at least 200 hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to announce, “We are at war,” and vowed Hamas would pay “a price it has never known.”
The Gaza Health Ministry — which is controlled by Hamas — reported at least 3,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 12,500 injured since the war began.
“I come to Israel with a single message: You’re not alone. You are not alone. As long as the United States stands, and we will stand forever, we will not let you ever be alone,” Biden said during his remarks.
“We’re working with partners throughout the region, pursuing every avenue to bring home those who are being held captive by Hamas. I can’t speak publicly about all the details, but let me assure you: For me as the American president, there’s no higher priority than the release and safe return of all these hostages.”
Hamas has threatened to murder hostages on camera in response to Israel’s offensive into Gaza.
“The vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas. Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people,” Biden said.
“We mourn the loss of innocent Palestinian lives like the entire world. I was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life yesterday in a hospital in Gaza. Based on the information we have seen today, it appears a result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza.”
Biden said that he had persuaded both Egypt and Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, which has about two million residents.
“The people of Gaza need food, water, medicine, shelter,” he warned.
“Today, I asked the Israeli cabinet I met with for some time this morning to agree to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, based on the understanding that there will be inspections and that the aid should go to civilians, not to Hamas. Israel agreed the humanitarian assistance can begin to move from Egypt to Gaza.”
But Biden warned, “Let me be clear: If Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, it will have demonstrated once again it has no regard for the welfare of the Palestinian people and it will end.”
Biden spoke on the phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi from Air Force One after leaving Israel and told reporters afterward that Sisi agreed to reopen his country’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza to allow supplies in.
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“He agreed that what he would do is open the gate to… let up to 20 trucks through to begin with,” Biden said.
“They’re going to patch the roads — they have to fill in the potholes to get the trucks through. And that’s going to occur — they expect it will take about eight hours tomorrow. So there may be nothing rolling through… probably until Friday.”
A few minutes later, the White House announced Biden would give a primetime address Thursday evening to discuss the US response to the Hamas attack as well as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
