WASHINGTON – The White House declared for the second day in a row on Monday that there would be no public appearances by President Biden, moments after the State Department confirmed that at least 11 American citizens were among the more than 900 killed by Hamas terrorists during their weekend. attack on Israel.
President Biden last spoke about the war on camera Saturday afternoon, hours after the terrorist group swept into Israeli cities from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, massacring residents and concertgoers and kidnapping dozens. of Israelis and foreigners.
Biden, 80, had no public events booked for either Sunday or Monday and faced ridicule Sunday night when his press office confirmed he was hosting a barbecue for his staff with a live band despite of the international crisis.
Monday is federally recognized as Columbus Day, so events like a daily White House briefing were not expected, although it was possible to change course and hold one.
The White House later issued a note saying that Biden met with members of his national security team Monday morning and would “speak with several of our close allies about the latest developments in Israel” in the afternoon.
“For those unfamiliar, a ‘cover’ is just a courtesy announcement to journalists that they should not expect public events,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said on X, formerly Twitter. “A cap does not mean that the president has stopped working… On the contrary, he is working to support Israel all day long.”
Shortly after 4 p.m., the White House issued a paper statement attributed to Biden confirming that at least 11 Americans were among the dead and acknowledging that it was “likely” that American citizens were among the 150 reportedly They were being held hostage by Hamas.
Biden said in a three-minute speech on Saturday that “when I spoke to [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu this morning I told him that the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist attacks.”
The president did not answer questions after his statement.
President Biden faces criticism for his lack of public appearances and for hosting a staff barbecue after the attack. ZUMAPRESS.com
Biden’s own actions have come under increasing criticism as Iran’s role in financing, planning and approving the attack has emerged.
In August, Biden began the process of unlocking $6 billion in funds (ostensibly for humanitarian use) to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange in September.
Critics said the funds freed up Iran to increase the flow of financing to regional terrorist groups, although Biden allies insist that is not true.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps worked with Hamas since August to plan the surprise attack and was given the final green light by Iranian officials on October 2 during a meeting in Beirut, senior members of Hamas and the terrorist group told the Wall Street Journal. Hezbollah based in Lebanon. Sunday.
A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 8, 2023. AFP via Getty Images
Sources in the Syrian and European governments also confirmed Iran’s role in the Journal attack, although the Biden administration has not yet done so.
“This terrorism is funded by Biden’s stupid release of $6 billion to the Iranians. Hamas’ war against Israel is now the second war started under the failed Biden presidency,” tweeted former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ), a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.
Former President Donald Trump, seeking a rematch against Biden, wrote: “THE HORRIBLE ATTACK ON ISRAEL, LIKE THE ATTACK ON UKRAINE, WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE PRESIDENT – ZERO CHANCE!”
It is unclear whether Biden, 80, will ever make a symbolic visit to Israel or some American site of importance to Israelis to commemorate the tragedy.
Biden’s re-election campaign recently removed ads featuring images of his February visit to kyiv, Ukraine, to portray him as a hands-on commander in chief.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn