On Monday, President Biden gave a speech at the White House addressing the recent arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
In his speech, Biden denounced the warrants and stated that Israel is not committing genocide. This came as a refreshing message to the audience, especially considering Biden’s previous pandering to the Muslim Arab American community in order to win their votes.
Among the attendees at the speech were the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. The President met with them at the White House, where Hersh’s mother, Rachel, acknowledged Biden’s efforts in trying to secure the release of the hostages. However, she also stated that more needs to be done to bring her son home safely.
YIKES
Biden acknowledges a U.S. hostage, then corrects himself, bc the hostage isn’t in the crowd—he’s still held by Hamas
“And here with us today is Hersh Goldberg-Polin…and he’s still, he is NOT here with us today, he’s still being held by Hamas.”
pic.twitter.com/6WtA2mXBX0— John Hasson (@SonofHas) May 20, 2024
During his speech, Biden made a mistake by acknowledging Hersh as if he was among the audience, prompting him to correct himself. This must have been a painful moment for Rachel and others who are working tirelessly to get their loved ones released from Gaza. This is particularly difficult, given that on the same day, many in the world were offering condolences to Iran for the death of its president, who was referred to by many as the Butcher of Tehran.
The United Nations, which has a long history of being critical of Israel, also held a moment of silence for the Iranian president. This was seen as disgraceful by Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, who responded by denouncing both Hamas and Iran for their involvement in the ongoing conflict in the region. It is well-known that Hamas is funded by Iran, making it a proxy for the country in this war.
To make matters worse, the U.N. also lowered its flag to half-mast as a sign of respect for the late Iranian president. This was seen as a disgusting gesture by many, considering Iran’s support for terrorism and its involvement in the war against Israel.
This was made evident by the fact that the U.S. State Department offered its condolences to Iran for the death of their president while reaffirming its support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights.
However, following backlash from the American people and the international community, President Biden and his administration began to backtrack on their statements. In a statement, Biden denounced the ICC’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, stating that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas. The State Department also issued a statement rejecting the ICC prosecutor’s equivalence of Israel with Hamas, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it “shameful.”
Despite these statements, many have criticized Biden for his previous actions and comments that seemed to be against Israel and in favor of Iran. They argue that Biden’s eagerness to placate Iran, including delivering billions of dollars in funding, is contributing to the ongoing conflict in the region and putting Israel’s security at risk.
Many are calling for a change in the White House and for the safe return of all the hostages held by Hamas, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who has now become a symbol of the ongoing conflict.
