President Joe Biden greatly increased the pressure on Israel to end the war with Hamas in Gaza, telling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone call Wednesday that he expected “significant de-escalation” by day’s end.
Biden asked Netanyahu to move “toward the path to a cease-fire,” according to a White House description of their conversation.
Biden’s call came as political and international pressure mounts on him to intervene more forcefully to push an end to the hostilities. Biden, until Wednesday, had avoided pressing Israel more directly and publicly for a cease-fire, or conveyed that level of urgency for ending Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas in the thickly populated Gaza Strip.
His administration had relied instead on what officials described as “quiet, intensive” diplomacy, including quashing a U.N. Security Council statement that would have addressed a cease-fire. The administration’s handling opened a divide between Biden and Democratic lawmakers, dozens of whom have called for a cease-fire.
Biden is calling for Israel to de-escalate while the terrorist group Hamas is still firing rockets at Israeli citizens.
It would be unacceptable if one of our allies called for de-escalation if Washington DC were targeted by rockets.
We must stand with Israel against terrorism.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) May 19, 2021
Egypt and some others have worked without success to broker a halt to fighting, while Hamas officials indicated publicly they would keep up their rocket barrages into Israel as long Israel continued airstrikes. Hamas’ top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who is based abroad, said this week that the group has been contacted by the United Nations, Russia, Egypt and Qatar as part of cease-fire efforts but “will not accept a solution that is not up to the sacrifices of the Palestinian people.”
Netanyahu had given no sign of plans to immediately wind down Israeli airstrikes targeting Hamas leaders and supply tunnels in Gaza, a 25-mile by 6-mile strip of territory that is home to more than 2 million people.
“You can either conquer them, and that’s always an open possibility, or you can deter them,” he told foreign ambassadors. “We are engaged right now in forceful deterrence, but I have to say, we don’t rule out anything.”
(AP)
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16 Responses
Tell Biden to keep quiet.
Somebody change his diaper.
It’s not Biden, it’s Bernie and his cows!
All the Dems are scared of them!
Shut up you wicked evil sleepy joe who stole the elections, and tell the wicked evil palestinians to deescalate and stop all attacks on Israel.
How dare you stupid sleepy joe take side with the aggressor:- So unAmerican.
Ditto.
Go back to sleep Joe.
If Bibi is too weak to stand up to Biden,he better step down and let someone else lead
Absolutely Mr. President, we will de-escalate our offensive! I’m sure you didn’t intend for for to sit back and take it! As long as 48 hours pass with no rockets coming in to harm our innocent civilians we can then call it a ceasefire – they ceased to fire. It’s their call. Oh, by the way, we’re helping their innocent civilians by helping them to rid their land of these miscreants! Hey, maybe you should be calling us to compliment us for bringing about peace and stability!?
Let’s see how fast the Zionists fold, like the ultimate Galus Jew they so deride.
Trasheeda yelled at him on an airfield tarmac for 8 minutes yesterday and he was transformed…..
So where are all you liberals that were calling for Hakaras Hatov to Biden?
Galicianer, you’re so right! Scarily so! Between Talaib, Omar and AOC along with Bernie and the powerful left, throw in Shoomuh and Nancy for added spice, this country will never look the same!
Most American Jews are apathetic about Israel or are too timid to speak out unless it is to defend Palestinian murderers. It is similar to how most of the American Jewish community responded to the rise of Hitler in the 1930s. They just relied on President Roosevelt (who like Biden is a wishy-washy Democrat) or by the time they figured out their relatives’ dead bodies were being turned into lampshades it was already too late. Thankfully, much of the frum Jewish community in the US has and continues to be vigilant in supporting Jewish lives and souls.
Where is Bidens statement about the violent mob in Los Angeles. Will he de-escalate those democrats?
Let Biden stick his head back in the hole he was in till now. Let him deal with American problems, we’ve got more than enough to keep him busy for awhile!
Google the meaning of “Ceasfire” and you get: “a TEMPORARY suspension of fighting; a truce”. So what’s the point?
I don’t know from the halachic point whether they are allowed to keep on endangering Jews today for the sake of future quiet – surely they have asked Knesset’s halachic advisors…
Thank you @HaKatan for inserting the word “Zionist” into each and every comment.