US president calls for end to attacks by West Bank settlers and accuses Hamas of hiding behind civilians in Gaza, but that Israel also must follow the ‘laws of war’

 

 

US President Joe Biden has called for an immediate end to Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, as Israel kept up its strikes on Gaza in preparation for a long promised ground invasion.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, Biden said US support for Israel’s defense was ironclad, but added that the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank by some Israelis was “pouring gasoline on the fire.”

 

“They’re attacking Palestinians in places that they’re entitled, and … it has to stop now,” the president said.

Biden accused Hamas of “hiding behind” Palestinian civilians in Gaza, but said Israel must follow the “laws of war,” in its strikes on the besieged enclave.

Israel has been bombarding Gaza since 7 October when Hamas gunmen poured across the border killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 222 others.

More than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas run health ministry, and there are fears the toll could further soar if Israel pushes ahead with a widely expected ground invasion.

Biden however cast doubt on civilian casualty figures put forward by the Palestinians.

“I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s a price of waging war,” he said.

“But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using.”

 

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He's right, the settlers are taking what they can now protected by the Israeli army so far without any consequences at all.

He must have been told it's not looking good for his re election prospects if settlers are running amok in the West Bank, but why did he not mention that they are backed up by the army?

 

He could stop it tomorrow with one phone call to netanyahu, so why doesn't he?

 

Seems to me he is playing to his base while not actually doing anything.

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

He's right, the settlers are taking what they can now protected by the Israeli army so far without any consequences at all.

 

Yes. While such things were always on, the intensity increased with the ascent of the current Israeli government, and even more so since the war in Gaza erupted. Some of this is no doubt, taking advantage of public eyes mostly focused elsewhere.

 

For the hardcore 'settlers' the main thing was always the West Bank, rather than the Gaza Strip. I think that in a vague, militaristic way, they would love seeing the Hamas take a beating, destroyed and even the expulsion on the Palestinian civilians - but it backseat stuff as far as their ideology goes. In their priority list, 'gains' in the West Bank outweigh the damage done to Israel's efforts vs. Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

56 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He must have been told it's not looking good for his re election prospects if settlers are running amok in the West Bank, but why did he not mention that they are backed up by the army?

 

He could stop it tomorrow with one phone call to netanyahu, so why doesn't he?

 

Seems to me he is playing to his base while not actually doing anything.

 

Because international relations don't work in the simplistic way you pretend them to be.