Joe Biden estimated on Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “doing more harm than good to Israel” by his conduct of the war in Gaza, also making ambiguous remarks on the question of a “red line” that would set Americans. “He has the right to defend Israel, the right to continue to attack Hamas. But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives lost because of the actions taken,” demanded the American president in an interview with MSNBC, adding: “In my opinion, he is doing more harm than good to Israel.”
“Defending Israel remains extremely important”
Joe Biden was asked during this interview about the existence of a “red line” that Israel should not cross in its offensive, and the journalist asked him in particular if a massive Israeli offensive in Rafah, in the south of Palestinian territory, would be one.
“It’s a red line,” says the 81-year-old Democrat, who immediately adds: “I will never abandon Israel. Defending Israel remains extremely important. There is no red line where I want to stop arms deliveries completely” and the Israelis would then no longer be “protected by the Iron Dome”.
“It is not possible that 30,000 more Palestinians die”
American aid is crucial for the operation of this defensive system allowing the interception of rockets and missiles. Joe Biden adds, however, in the process: “There are red lines… It is not possible that 30,000 more Palestinians die.”
The American president is also evasive on the possibility of a new visit to Israel, where he went in October shortly after the deadly Hamas attack, and which would include a speech to Parliament. “Should you do this?” the journalist asks him. “Yes,” replies Joe Biden, but without saying anything more, and without specifying whether he was invited. The American president no longer hides his frustration with the head of the Israeli government.
Thursday, after a speech to Congress, microphones picked up an informal conversation in which he declared, regarding the need to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza: “He’s going to have to get it into his head. ” “I want to see a cease-fire,” said Joe Biden, specifying that he was talking about a cessation of hostilities for six weeks to begin with.