President Biden expressed support for a “pause” in Israel’s war against Hamas on Wednesday, after a caller demanding a ceasefire interrupted his remarks during a campaign reception in Minneapolis.
“Mr. President, if you care about the Jewish people, as a rabbi, I need you to call a ceasefire right now,” shouted the heckler, who identified herself as Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg.
She was booed by most of the 200 people and escorted out by security; However, Biden responded by expressing his most enthusiastic support yet for a temporary de-escalation in Israel’s military campaign to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas terrorists.
“I think we need a pause,” the 80-year-old said in response to the interruption.
“A pause means giving time to remove the prisoners.”
The heckler identified herself as Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg.X / Jewish Voice for Peace President Biden expressed support for a humanitarian “pause” in Israel’s war against Hamas.AP
The commander-in-chief went on to claim that he persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “call a ceasefire” earlier in the conflict to allow the release of hostages held by Hamas.
“I’m the guy who convinced Bibi to call for a ceasefire to let the prisoners out,” he said. “I’m the guy who talked to [Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi] to convince him to open the door.
“I understand the emotion,” he added after Rosenberg was dismissed.
Rosenberg interrupted the speech to demand a ceasefire.X / Jewish Voice for Peace
“This is incredibly complicated for Israelis. It’s also incredibly complicated for the Muslim world. I supported a two-state solution. I’ve done it from the beginning,” he continued. “The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. An absolute terrorist organization.”
The heckler chanted “cease fire now” as she was removed from the event.
Biden said last week that he would not consider supporting a ceasefire in Israel until all the hostages had been freed.
The State Department also rejected the idea of a ceasefire, arguing that it would harm Israel’s ability to defend itself from continued terrorist threats.
“I understand the emotion,” Biden said from the podium.REUTERS
“Any ceasefire would give Hamas the ability to rest, recondition and prepare to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters last week.
Last week, Israel reportedly agreed to consider delaying its ground invasion of Gaza to allow hostage talks to continue.
The Biden administration is said to be at the forefront of the cautious approach, concerned that Israel does not have an achievable military goal.
“Both Israel and the Biden administration want to exhaust all efforts to try to get the hostages out of Gaza,” an unnamed senior Israeli official told Axios.
“If Hamas proposes a big package, of course, we will be willing to do things in return,” the official said, stressing that Israel’s plans for a ground attack would only be delayed, not abandoned.
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors in the rubble of the Jabalia refugee camp, a day after an Israeli airstrike hit the area, in northern Gaza, on November 1, 2023.MOHAMMED SABRE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Several far-left lawmakers, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and pro-Palestinian protesters have been demanding a ceasefire for weeks.
The United Nations also passed a non-binding resolution calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza.
Israel declared war on Hamas in response to the October 7 terrorist attack on the Jewish state that left more than 1,400 dead.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn