Former President Barack Obama added his two cents to the conversation over Israel’s war on Hamas after over 1,300 of its citizens were mercilessly slaughtered by terrorists, prompting a military response in Gaza.
Mr. Obama, who is not exactly known for being a friend of the Jewish state, issued a lengthy statement on Monday, adding to his previous remarks on the conflict stating that while Israel had a right to defend itself against terror, there is a need for a lasting peace with the Palestinians.
In his statement posted to Medium which is titled “Thoughts on Israel and Gaza,” the nation’s 44th president criticized the Netanyahu government over the cutting off of food, water, and electricity to Gaza, saying that such moves could have long-term consequences that could “harden Palestinian attitudes for generations” and adversely impact the world’s support for Israel.
I wanted to share some thoughts on what’s happening right now in Israel and Gaza.https://t.co/fEaYWFisnN
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 23, 2023
Obama said that while he fully supports President Joe Biden’s call for the United States to support Israel as it seeks to dismantle the “military capabilities” of Hamas and to facilitate the return of hostages taken by the terrorists, he condemned some of the measures that Israel has taken to eradicate the barbarians in Gaza, echoing remarks made by far-left elements of his political party in Congress.
“Still, the world is watching closely as events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire. Already, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, many of them children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes,” Obama said.
“The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water, and electricity to a captive civilian population threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,” the former president continued.
With a ground invasion likely imminent, the former president called for “a strategy that can incapacitate Hamas while minimizing further civilian casualties,” saying that Israel’s decision to allow relief trucks to enter Gaza was a positive sign and crediting the Biden regime’s “behind-the-scenes diplomacy” for the humanitarian breakthrough.
“Israel’s recent shift to allow relief trucks into Gaza, prompted in part by the Biden administration’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy, is an encouraging step, but we need to continue to lead the international community in accelerating critical aid and supplies to an increasingly desperate Gaza population,” he said.
Obama additionally called for “actively opposing anti-semitism in all its forms, everywhere” as well “rejecting anti-Muslim, anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian sentiment.”
“It means refusing to lump all Palestinians with Hamas or other terrorist groups. It means guarding against dehumanizing language towards the people of Gaza, or downplaying Palestinian suffering — whether in Gaza or the West Bank — as irrelevant or illegitimate,” he said, also emphasizing that “Israel has every right to exist” and that “Palestinians have also lived in disputed territories for generations.”
“Perhaps most of all, it means we should choose not to always assume the worst in those with whom we disagree,” wildly hypocritical words from a man who, like Biden, has frequently resorted to the demonizing of their political opposition.
“In an age of constant rancor, trolling and misinformation on social media, at a time when so many politicians and attention seekers see an advantage in shedding heat rather than light, it may be unrealistic to expect respectful dialogue on any issue — much less on an issue with such high stakes and after so much blood has been spilled,” Obama concluded. “But if we care about keeping open the possibility of peace, security and dignity for future generations of Israeli and Palestinian children — as well as for our own children — then it falls upon all of us to at least make the effort to model, in our own words and actions, the kind of world we want them to inherit.”
Obama also included several links to perspectives on the crisis, including one by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman titled “Israel Is About to Make a Terrible Mistake” as well as another from Ben Rhodes, his ultra-partisan former White House advisor warning of the “cost of escalation” in Gaza.
DONATE TO AMERICAN WIRE
If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to American Wire News to help us fight them.
- Fetterman breaks with Dems on border control - December 8, 2023
- Fox News reporter calls Tucker Carlson a liar over Sec of Defense threat. Here’s how that went. - December 8, 2023
- Rashida Tlaib melts down over censure of fellow ‘Squad’ member because of course it’s racist - December 8, 2023
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
