Emotional and angry, Joe Biden delivered a dramatic speech in support of Israel on Tuesday, October 10, three days after the Hamas attack. It was as if he was in mourning too. It was one of the most impassioned speeches ever delivered by an American president in support of the Jewish state. "It's personal for the American people," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later confirmed to the press.
Beyond the death of at least 14 Americans and the uncertain fate of some 20 others, probably kidnapped by the Palestinian Islamist group, Biden wanted to express his total empathy with the Israeli population and warn, once again, regional players tempted to take advantage of the situation. "Our hearts may be broken, but our resolve is clear," summed up the American president. This was no time for nuanced statements to the Israeli government.
In addition to the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, the US has sent the cruiser USS Normandy and a number of naval missile destroyers to the Mediterranean. The aim of this naval presence is to gather intelligence and, above all, to send a message to Iran and Hezbollah.
If the Lebanese Shiite militia were to take action against Israel in the North – it has an arsenal of 130,000 rockets and missiles – the US would reserve the right to intervene militarily, even if American officials have not discussed this hypothesis in public. Sullivan confirmed that the Biden administration was studying all possible crisis scenarios.
In his speech, Biden drew parallels between the crimes of Hamas, its "bloodthirstiness" and "the worst rampages" of the Islamic State group (IS). Earlier, he had spoken for the third time since Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, who told him, according to an official statement from the Hebrew state: "They are even worse than IS and we need to treat them as such."
Biden himself dismissed any idea of political motivation. "Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people's right to dignity and self-determination," he said. "Its stated purpose is the annihilation of the State of Israel and the murder of the Jewish people."
The US has sent hostage rescue experts to assist the Israelis. But such interventions – entrusted to commandos – were difficult to envisage at the same time as a comprehensive bombing campaign was taking place, not to mention an imminent ground operation. Regarding the strong Israeli military response, which has already caused the death of hundreds of civilians in Gaza, Biden confined himself to a general remark. "Democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law," he said.
You have 57.39% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.