WASHINGTON – President Biden warned on Monday that global public opinion “could shift overnight” towards Israel’s war in Gaza – as the White House allegedly insulted the family members of hostages held by Hamas from an 800-person Hanukkah celebration.
“Several family members of the missing American hostages in Gaza have asked the White House to attend a Hanukkah celebration tonight, but have not received an invitation, one of them told me,” CNN reporter reported MJ Lee, who recently covered the relative demand for Biden to “get creative.”
Invitations to White House events and perceived insults routinely draw attention and it is unclear who West Wing staff will be responsible for the decision.
Up to seven US citizens and one permanent resident, in addition to dozens of Israelis, are believed to remain captive in the Gaza Strip after being abducted from southern Israel in an attack on October 7 that killed approximately 1,200 people, including 33 Americans.
The Post could not immediately confirm the exemption and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.
President Joe Biden arrives to speak at a Hanukkah reception in the East Room of the White House on Dec. 11. 2023. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The alleged accusations come as Biden, 81, continues to support Israel’s invasion of Gaza — potentially putting his own re-election at risk by upsetting young, Arab and Muslim voters.
At a Hanukkah event Monday night, Biden said “we are committed to providing military aid to Israel until they get rid of Hamas” and declared “I’m a Zionist” to cheers.
Keep up with the news on the Israel-Hamas war and the surge in global antisemitism with The Post’s Israel War Updates, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“But, but, we have to be careful – they have to be careful. Public opinion around the world can change overnight. We can’t let that happen,” Biden said, without elaborating.
“We are working non-stop for the safe return of the hostages,” he said. “I personally spent hours — I mean maybe up to 20 hours — with Qatar, Egypt, Israel to get the hostages released, to get trucks and get humanitarian aid flowing, to convince them to open the doors. “
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee speaks at a press conference on the Israel-Hamas war on Capitol Hill. Getty Images
Biden also praised a recent Senate speech on antisemitism from Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in which he said Jews feel “left behind” and slammed “dog whistles” from “friends and allies.”
“Everybody in America should read it,” Biden said of Schumer’s address.
“I also recognize your hurt from the silence and fear for your safety because the surge in antisemitism in the United States and around the world is sickening,” Biden said, two days after University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned after refusing to speak at a congressional hearing that was in violation of the rules. school to call for the genocide of the Jews.
“You know we’re seeing it all over our community in schools and colleges and social media,” Biden said. “They bore painful scars from thousands of years of hatred to genocide for the Jewish people.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
