WALL STREET JOURNAL
Biden’s Middle East Is a Fantasy World
Amit Segal
May 13, 2024

When Joe Biden and officials in his administration talk about the Israelis and the Palestinians, they describe two peoples that don’t exist in reality. According to the White House, the Palestinians aspire to peace, reject Hamas and are ready to make painful concessions. A week after Hamas attacked Israel, Mr. Biden said in an interview on “60 Minutes”: “Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don’t represent all the Palestinian people.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan said: “The many, many Palestinians who have had nothing to do with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas—the vast majority of the population of Gaza—they deserve dignity. They deserve safety and security.” In reality, according to a November survey by Arab World for Research and Development, affiliated with Ramallah-based Birzeit University, 59% of Palestinians “extremely support” the Oct. 7 massacre, and another 16% “somewhat support” it. READ MORE

NATIONAL REVIEW Editorial Board: Biden Is Failing the Israel Test At the same time Biden is sending out these signals on aid to Israel, he has taken the risky move of ordering the U.S. military to build a pier off the coast of Gaza for delivering humanitarian aid, thus putting hundreds of American troops within a few miles of an Iranian proxy group. When asked about the risk of Hamas firing on American troops, Air Force Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said, “I mean, that’s certainly a risk, again, but if Hamas truly does care about the Palestinian people, then again, one would hope that this international mission to deliver aid to people who need it would be able to happen unhindered.” Forgive us for not being too comforted by the idea that the Biden administration is risking the lives of American service members on the hope that Hamas cares about the well-being of civilians.

WASHINGTON TIMES Clifford May: State of the world more threatening than Biden understands He acknowledged that “Israel has a right to go after Hamas.” But going after Hamas is not the same as defeating Hamas. To leave Hamas with military and governing capabilities would mean capitulating to Hamas, as Mr. Biden capitulated to the Taliban. Americans were able to withdraw from Afghanistan. Israelis have nowhere to go. For them, this is an existential war. Some of those calling for Israel to cease firing don’t understand that. Others understand it only too wel… [Biden] suggested that Israel is not doing all it can to spare non-combatants when, in fact, Israel is doing more than any nation at war has ever done.