WASHINGTON – The White House says pro-Palestinian protesters are wrong to chant “Genocide Joe” at President Biden for his support of Israel, noting that the Jewish state is not trying to “wipe the Palestinian people off the map” with its invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The phrase is “inappropriate” to describe Israel’s Biden-backed war against the terrorist group Hamas, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday.
Thousands of anti-Israel protesters in New York City and DC have chanted “Genocide Joe!” and “Genocide Joe’s gotta go!” – and activists even wrote the nickname next to red-painted handprints on the masonry of the White House’s north door during a raucous demonstration on November 4.
“We’re not worried about nicknames or bumper stickers. I mean, it’s First Amendment free speech,” Kirby began when asked about the attack on Biden, who is seeking $14.3 billion in new funding from Congress to support Israel.
“The president is focused, while writing his [Washington Post] op-ed, about how to make sure we can continue to support Israel as it fights a terrible terrorist group, Hamas, and as we all work together to get humanitarian assistance and get people out, including hostages,” Kirby said.
A protester accuses President Biden of supporting genocide at a pro-Palestinian protest in DC. AFP via Getty Images The White House says pro-Palestinian protesters are wrong to chant “Genocide Joe” at President Biden for his support for Israel.REUTERS
Increasingly heated, the former Pentagon spokesman added that “people can say whatever they want on the sidewalk and we respect that, that’s what the First Amendment is about, but many use the word ‘genocide’ in a very inappropriate way. from different people.
“What Hamas wants, make no mistake, is genocide,” Kirby emphasized, noting that the terrorists began the conflict with a surprise attack on October 7 against southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, including at least 33 Americans. and kidnapped more. than another 200.
Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 13,000 people have been killed in the subsequent Israeli military action, although the death toll cannot be verified by independent parties and Biden has publicly dismissed the figure as inaccurate.
“They want to wipe Israel off the map. They have said it publicly on more than one occasion; in fact, recently. And they have said that they are not going to stop [and] “What happened on October 7th is going to happen again and again,” Kirby continued.
Thousands of anti-Israel protesters in New York City and DC have chanted “Genocide Joe!” and “Joe the genocide has to go!”ZUMAPRESS.com The phrase is “inappropriate” to describe Israel’s Biden-backed war against the terrorist group Hamas, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. James Keivom
“And what happened on October 7th? Murder, killing of innocent people in their homes or at a music festival. Those are genocidal intentions. Yes, there are too many civilian casualties in Gaza. Yes, the numbers are too high. Yes, too many families are grieving. And yes, we continue to urge Israelis to be as careful and cautious as possible. “That is not going to stop, from the president down.”
Kirby concluded: “But Israel is not trying to wipe the Palestinian people off the map. Israel is not trying to wipe Gaza off the map. Israel is trying to defend itself against a genocidal terrorist threat… If we’re going to start using that word, fine. Let’s use it appropriately.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Palestinian-American, accused Biden earlier this month of supporting “the genocide of the Palestinian people.” Days later, the House of Representatives voted to censure her for anti-Israel comments, with 22 Democrats siding with the majority of Republicans in the rebuke.
“Israel is not trying to wipe Gaza off the map. Israel is trying to defend itself against a genocidal terrorist threat… If we’re going to start using that word, fine. Let’s use it appropriately,” Kirby continued. James Keivom
Polls show that most Americans support Israel in the conflict, but that Biden’s handling of the crisis has received poor marks.
An NBC poll released Sunday found that only 34% of registered voters approved of Biden’s handling of the Gaza conflict, in which an unknown number of US citizens, believed to be up to nine people, remain hostages.
The same NBC poll found that 47% felt Israel’s actions in Gaza were justified, while 30% felt Israel had gone “too far” and 23% said they did not know enough or were unsure.
A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll released Monday found that 80% of Americans support Israel in its conflict with Hamas, but that support is lower among younger voters, with only 55% of those ages 18 to 24 years supporting Israel in the war.
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