US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that he supports a “pause” in the war between Hamas and Israel, to allow “prisoners” to leave the Gaza Strip. The statement comes despite the United States’ refusal, since the beginning of events on October 7, to call for a ceasefire, as it repeatedly stressed Israel’s right to defend itself, and saw stopping the war as being in the interest of the Hamas movement. On the other hand, the White House announced that it will develop a strategy to combat Islamophobia, explaining that this strategy will be developed in coordination with the communities concerned.
Published on: 02/11/2023 – 02:53
3 minutes
The US President announced joe biden On Wednesday, in response to a man who interrupted him during an election rally, he said he supports a “pause” in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, in order to allow “prisoners” to leave the Gaza Strip.
While Biden was speaking at a campaign fundraising event, a man interrupted the Democratic president, saying: “As a rabbi, I ask you to call for an immediate ceasefire.”
The 80-year-old president, who is seeking a second term in elections scheduled for next year, responded: “I think we need a pause. The pause means allowing time to extract the prisoners.”
In response to a question about Biden’s statement, the White House said that what the president meant by the word “prisoners” were the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In defending his position during this war, Biden said: “I was the one who convinced Bibi (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) to call for a ceasefire to get the prisoners out. I was the one who spoke to (Egyptian President Abdel Fattah) Sisi to convince him to open the door” of the Rafah crossing, which It connects the southern sector to Egypt.
Commenting on this aspect of the US President’s statement, the White House said that Biden meant the two American hostages who were recently released by the Hamas movement.
Combating Islamophobia
The US President’s administration announced earlier Wednesday that it will develop a strategy to combat Islamophobia, in a decision that comes at a time when tension is escalating across the country due to the war between Israel and Hamas.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement, “President Biden ran for office to restore the soul of our nation. He is unequivocally clear: There is no place in America for hatred against anyone. Full stop.”
“For too long, Muslims in America, and those perceived as Muslim, such as Arabs and Sikhs, have suffered a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks and other incidents of discrimination,” she added.
The White House explained that this strategy will be developed in coordination with the relevant communities.
Jean-Pierre singled out what she described as the “barbaric” killing of a six-year-old American boy of Palestinian origin in the suburbs of Chicago recently, in an incident that the police linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The US government has already launched a plan to combat anti-Semitism across the country.
France 24/AFP
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2023-11-02 01:53:04
