Biden Is Starting To Vacillate
Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 13 December 2023
by Nikolas Busse (link to
original)
Even though Israel has tried again and again to remove civilians from the line of fire, the U.S. president is accusing the country of “indiscriminate bombing.” That also sounds like a campaigner talking.
In Joe Biden’s most recent statement distancing himself from Israel, his description of the state of world affairs is notable. The president says that Israel can count on the U.S. and currently has the support of Europe and large portions of the globe.
Really? In October, a large majority in the U.N. General Assembly was already demanding a cease-fire. This impression was reinforced on Tuesday evening, with even more countries demanding an immediate truce. The Europeans were divided, as they had been earlier; even Germany abstained from voting many times. For Israel, enacting the resolution would ultimately mean continuing to coexist with the threat presented by Hamas.
Known Circumstances
Biden also said that Israel is beginning to lose support because of its “indiscriminate bombing.” No one will deny that there have been too many civilian casualties in Gaza.
But is that really a result of a lack of military discrimination, or is it largely a consequence of the known circumstances (urban environment, civilians used as protective shields)? Unlike Hamas, which is, in fact, indiscriminately firing at Israel, Israeli leadership has tried again and again to remove civilians from the line of fire.
It is hard to judge from afar if every option has been exhausted. It is easier to see what the state of world affairs really looks like. Except for the U.S., Israel never had many allies in its campaign against Hamas. Now even candidate Biden is starting to vacillate.
In Joe Biden’s most recent statement distancing himself from Israel, his description of the state of world affairs is notable. The president says that Israel can count on the U.S. and currently has the support of Europe and large portions of the globe.
Really? In October, a large majority in the U.N. General Assembly was already demanding a cease-fire. This impression was reinforced on Tuesday evening, with even more countries demanding an immediate truce. The Europeans were divided, as they had been earlier; even Germany abstained from voting many times. For Israel, enacting the resolution would ultimately mean continuing to coexist with the threat presented by Hamas.
Known Circumstances
Biden also said that Israel is beginning to lose support because of its “indiscriminate bombing.” No one will deny that there have been too many civilian casualties in Gaza.
But is that really a result of a lack of military discrimination, or is it largely a consequence of the known circumstances (urban environment, civilians used as protective shields)? Unlike Hamas, which is, in fact, indiscriminately firing at Israel, Israeli leadership has tried again and again to remove civilians from the line of fire.
It is hard to judge from afar if every option has been exhausted. It is easier to see what the state of world affairs really looks like. Except for the U.S., Israel never had many allies in its campaign against Hamas. Now even candidate Biden is starting to vacillate.
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