Excerpt from this article from the Daily Beast:
He met with the Israeli prime minister and his war cabinet and he was direct. He would offer support and he expected Israel to prioritize protection of civilians and humanitarian concerns. In both cases, the meeting was apparently successful—with Biden formally announcing the deal to allow humanitarian assistance to move into Gaza from Egypt, and $100 million in new aid for those in need among Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He also announced that later this week he would go to the Congress with a military support package for Israel of unprecedented size. He even became the most important voice in efforts to resolve the question regarding the origins of the hospital explosion. He said U.S. Defense Department analysis determined the explosion was caused by a Palestinian missile gone awry.
Biden also met directly with survivors of the terror attack and his authentic compassion made a deep impression on those in attendance and watching on television. Further, he delivered another set of remarks, underscoring America’s commitment to stand by Israel.
He said, “As long as the United States stands—and we will stand forever—you will not be alone.” The president then went further, however, and made the case for the values-based approach to managing this conflict for which he and his administration have been advocating all along. Biden said, “What sets us apart from the terrorists is we believe in the fundamental dignity of every life—Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, Jew, Muslim, Christian, everyone.”
Perhaps most striking was he did something that not only conveyed his message brilliantly, but that also showed a degree of self-awareness and even humility in U.S. leaders that has seldom been displayed. He said, “But I caution you, 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.”
It took a special kind of courage and was profoundly effective. Indeed, the entire speech was extraordinarily well-received. The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin wrote, “A simply magnificent, gut-wrenching and inspiring Biden speech in Israel. As an American, a Jew, a human being, I could not be more touched.”
In the wake of the trip, the response from observers in the U.S. and Israel was equally enthusiastic. The gamble had paid off—in large part for all the reasons that successful gambles often do: preparation, experience, and being on the right side of the issues.
We are in the early phases of the Israel-Hamas war. It is always possible that Biden’s bet on supporting Israel and counting on our strong ties to help influence its behavior may be undone by Netanyahu or those around him.
But at one of those critical moments that test and reveal the true character of a president, Biden has again shown that he is not only experienced, empathetic, principled, and effective—but that he has one of the rarest qualities we find in our leaders. He has guts. He has the courage of his convictions. He is willing to undertake risk to get the return he believes is essential to the interests of the U.S. And once again, with this trip, he has delivered.
Biden’s Israel Trip Was a Gamble That’s Already Paying Off
Humanitarian aid is finally entering Gaza, Israelis felt supported, and Netanyahu is unlikely to disrespect the U.S. president again any time soon.
www.thedailybeast.com
He met with the Israeli prime minister and his war cabinet and he was direct. He would offer support and he expected Israel to prioritize protection of civilians and humanitarian concerns. In both cases, the meeting was apparently successful—with Biden formally announcing the deal to allow humanitarian assistance to move into Gaza from Egypt, and $100 million in new aid for those in need among Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He also announced that later this week he would go to the Congress with a military support package for Israel of unprecedented size. He even became the most important voice in efforts to resolve the question regarding the origins of the hospital explosion. He said U.S. Defense Department analysis determined the explosion was caused by a Palestinian missile gone awry.
Biden also met directly with survivors of the terror attack and his authentic compassion made a deep impression on those in attendance and watching on television. Further, he delivered another set of remarks, underscoring America’s commitment to stand by Israel.
He said, “As long as the United States stands—and we will stand forever—you will not be alone.” The president then went further, however, and made the case for the values-based approach to managing this conflict for which he and his administration have been advocating all along. Biden said, “What sets us apart from the terrorists is we believe in the fundamental dignity of every life—Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, Jew, Muslim, Christian, everyone.”
Perhaps most striking was he did something that not only conveyed his message brilliantly, but that also showed a degree of self-awareness and even humility in U.S. leaders that has seldom been displayed. He said, “But I caution you, 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.”
It took a special kind of courage and was profoundly effective. Indeed, the entire speech was extraordinarily well-received. The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin wrote, “A simply magnificent, gut-wrenching and inspiring Biden speech in Israel. As an American, a Jew, a human being, I could not be more touched.”
In the wake of the trip, the response from observers in the U.S. and Israel was equally enthusiastic. The gamble had paid off—in large part for all the reasons that successful gambles often do: preparation, experience, and being on the right side of the issues.
We are in the early phases of the Israel-Hamas war. It is always possible that Biden’s bet on supporting Israel and counting on our strong ties to help influence its behavior may be undone by Netanyahu or those around him.
But at one of those critical moments that test and reveal the true character of a president, Biden has again shown that he is not only experienced, empathetic, principled, and effective—but that he has one of the rarest qualities we find in our leaders. He has guts. He has the courage of his convictions. He is willing to undertake risk to get the return he believes is essential to the interests of the U.S. And once again, with this trip, he has delivered.
