On Thursday, as Katie covered, President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he warned that he'll change U.S. policy towards Israel if our ally in the Middle East doesn't change tactics against Hamas terrorists. The president isn't the only one in his administration who has been throwing Israel under the bus, though. While speaking at a press conference in Brussels, Secretary of State Antony Blinken not only gave a recap of that call, but also claimed that Israel could end up becoming indistinguishable from Hamas.
The Israel-Hamas conflict currently playing out is entirely the fault of Hamas terrorists, who broke the ceasefire that had been in place before the October 7 attack. They also brought an end to a temporary pause in fighting from late last November, and have just recently rejected yet another ceasefire agreement. Hamas didn't just kill 1,200 Israelis--most of them civilians--not even sparing Holocaust survivors and babies. They also engaged in rape, torture, and kidnapping. Many of the 240 hostages are still in captivity.
And yet Blinken still had the nerve to call out Israel in such a way that he did. "Now, of course, what happened after October 7th could have ended immediately if Hamas had stopped hiding behind civilians, released the hostages, and put down its weapons," Blinken reminded. "But Israel is not Hamas. Israel is a democracy; Hamas, a terrorist organization. And democracies place the highest value on human life – every human life. As has been said, whoever saves a life, saves the entire world. That’s our strength," he added.
He then went on to say that "it’s what distinguishes us from terrorists like Hamas. If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront."
In describing the call between Biden and Netanyahu, Blinken noted that the president "made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps." That doesn't sound too comforting, even when Blinken later went on to say that, while discussing Iranian threats, "President Biden reaffirmed the United States strong support for Israel in the face of these threats and our commitment to Israel’s security." Let's not forget how many times the Biden administration has actually empowered Iran, especially through extending waivers of sanctions.
The secretary of state also reportedly made certain demands of Israel that should instead be directed at Hamas. This goes for anyone in the pro-ceasefire crowd. Biden "underscored as well that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home."
Again, though, it's Hamas rejecting these ceasefire proposals.
Blinken also claimed that "right now, there is no higher priority in Gaza than protecting civilians, surging humanitarian assistance, and ensuring the security of those who provide it. Israel must meet this moment." Curiously, he prioritized Gazans over ending Hamas and freeing hostages, even when there are still Americans in captivity.
🧵Secretary of State Blinken implies Israel is increasingly becoming “indistinguishable from” Hamas in losing a “reverence for human life”:
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 4, 2024
“And I made clear then the commitment of the United States to Israel's security and to ensuring that Oct. 7 could never happen again. I… pic.twitter.com/NrgDG3QDLB
When taking questions, Blinken also insisted that "nothing's changed," adding "our conviction remains that we need to see an immediate ceasefire to enable the release of hostages, but also to enable a dramatic surge in humanitarian assistance, as well as, obviously, better protecting civilians."
Biden and his administration are running into all kinds of problems over the handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The president and the secretary of state both drew strong reactions, though the far-left, anti-Israel part of the Democratic base still insists that Biden isn't doing enough and must do more. It's worth wondering what, if anything, will appease this part of the base, and if the administration's capitulations will be for nothing.
Blinken also made headlines for how he said while taking questions during the press conference that "Ukraine will become a member of NATO," which would thus drag more countries involved into the war against Russia under Article 5. Earlier in his remarks he even said it was a "goal" of the Biden administration.
Antony Blinken announces the Biden administration's "goal" is to "create a bridge to Ukraine's full membership" in NATO. pic.twitter.com/wkS7RRS4Ru
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 4, 2024
This is completely irresponsible. Ukraine should not join NATO, and to invite them during a war is to invite our nation into war.
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 4, 2024
Do you want American ground troops in Ukraine? If not, we must push back against the idea that Ukraine should join NATO. https://t.co/FkpPFZxbyP