Biden Talks To Netanyahu, Says Israel ‘Has Right To Defend Itself Against Thousands Of Rockets’
On Wednesday, President Biden talked with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu not so long ago. I’ll be putting out a statement very shortly on that,” Biden said to reporters at the White House.
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“My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later. But Israel has a right to defend itself against thousands of rockets flying into your territory,” Biden also said.
After a night of carnage with civilians in Tel Aviv escaping Hamas missiles, President Biden met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reaffirm US support for Israel.
Israel has carried airstrikes against the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, claiming that the Islamist group has supplies of rockets near to civilian areas.
Both side have been reporting civilian casualties in the conflict.
The Israel Defense Forces has been updating posts of when rockets are fired. They also shared their reasoning as to why the IDF would strike a multi- story building to help set the record straight on misinformation from the media.
- The IDF only strikes multi-story buildings which are military targets. For example, when such a building contains military elements such as intelligence HQs, military offices, weapon caches, and research and development facilities.
- Prior to such strikes, the IDF takes every feasible measure to enable citizens to evacuate the building to mitigate damage to civilian people and property.
- Hamas deliberately places military sites inside these buildings, purposely endangering civilians.
With the spread of misinformation, it's time to set this straight.
This is why we attack multi-story buildings in Gaza: pic.twitter.com/VK1bvQAGeX
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 12, 2021
Moments ago, IDF fighter jets struck a 14-story building in southern Gaza, which housed Hamas military intelligence offices & infrastructure used to communicate tactical-military information.
We warned civilians in the building & provided them sufficient time to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/lFT7ntbXzW
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 12, 2021
Biden had said to reporters, “my national security staff and defense staff has been in constant contact with their counterparts in the Middle East — not just with the Israelis but also with everyone from the Egyptians to the Saudis to the Emiratis, etc.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked separately with Netanyahu to certify US support.
The State Department said that Blinken “expressed his concerns regarding the barrage of rocket attacks on Israel, his condolences for the lives lost as a result, and the United States’ strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”
“[Blinken] emphasized the need for Israelis and Palestinians to be able to live in safety and security, as well as enjoy equal measures of freedom, security, prosperity, and democracy,” the State Department said.
Using the US-funded Iron Dome missile defense device, Israel was able to shoot down a large number of rockets fired from Gaza.
Biden has already come under fire for taking a middle-of-the-road solution to the growing crisis in Israel.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell advised on Biden to truly commit to Israel’s side.
“Israel must know that their friends and allies in the United States stand with them. We support Israel’s right to peace and security. We support their goal of restoring deterrence,” McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a Twitter posting Wednesday morning.
“The Administration must not relax our efforts to hold terrorists and their supporters to account,” he said.
The Republican National Committee even scolded the Biden administration’s lack of support for Israel.
“These attacks prove that the Biden administration’s weak leadership is reversing the historic progress the Trump administration made toward peace in the region and has signaled to know terrorist organizations, like Hamas, that they can get away in attacking our nation’s strongest ally in the Middle East,” Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tweeted Wednesday.
