Following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, President Joe Biden will visit our ally in the Middle East. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the announcement over his official X account on Monday night. The Hill had also reported on the news a short while before Blinken made the announcmeent.
"He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region, and for the world," Blinken's post read in part. A previous version of the post included a photo of the secretary.
On Wednesday, @POTUS will visit Israel. He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region, and for the world.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 17, 2023
According to the OSINTdefender account, they will "reportedly receive a Comprehensive Brief of Israeli War Goals and Strategies while also hearing how they plan to Reduce the possibility of Civilian Casualties during Ground and Air Operations."
During U.S. President Biden’s Visit to Israel on Wednesday we will reportedly receive a Comprehensive Brief of Israeli War Goals and Strategies while also hearing how they plan to Reduce the possibility of Civilian Casualties during Ground and Air Operations. pic.twitter.com/0QsyFZH4zd
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Blinken has already been to the region since the attacks. His presence hasn't exactly been helpful, though, including when it comes to convincing Egypt and Saudi Arabia to play a helpful role. Egypt has refused to open its borders to Gaza refugees trying to flee the region after Israel warned civilians to flee ahead of their attacks against Hamas.
Further, Blinken had been forced to quickly delete a post calling last week calling for de-escalation.
Deleted now apparently, but this was it. pic.twitter.com/9DPgRg37pk
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) October 9, 2023
Over 1,400 Israelis were killed by Hamas as a result of the October 7 attack, the bloodiest day in Israel's history, on a day where the most Jews had died since the end of the Holocaust. The death toll for Americans keeps going up at well, with that number now at at least 30.
The announcement comes as Biden has delved awfully close to problematic narratives.
An NBC News headline from last Friday noted that "U.S. officials privately warn Israel to show restraint in retaliating against Hamas," although the following days that call came from the president himself and wasn't so private.
During the "60 Minutes" interview that aired on Sunday nigtht, which our own Larry O'Connor addressed, called for restraint, warning it would be a "big mistake" for Israel to occupy Gaza. Biden also noted that "there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state."
"The comments amount to one of the few times the US president has called on Israel to use some sort of restraint in responding to the Hamas attacks that left 1,400 dead," CNN reported. "In its response, Israel unleashed a massive bombing campaign against the northern Gaza Strip, from which Hamas launched its attack."
As Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog told CNN's "State of the Union," however, they "have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza."