New Delhi: A day after he returned from Tel Aviv, US President Joe Biden Friday made a fervent appeal to the American public for supporting the wars in Israel and Ukraine, saying Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin are out to “annihilate” democracies.
The Biden administration is expected to send the Congress a funding request of roughly $100 billion, including $10 billion and $60 billion for military aid to Israel and Ukraine.
“We’re facing an inflection point in history. One of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come,” Biden stated in his 15-minute primetime address from the Oval Office.
His appeal comes after the 45-day US budget approved in Congress earlier this month, to avoid a government shutdown, did not include additional $300 million funding for Ukraine.
“Hamas and Putin represent different threats but they share this in common. They both want to completely annihilate democracy,” Biden said, highlighting the dangers of terrorists and dictators not facing consequences for their actions.
He observed that fighting these wars are “vital to America’s national security” and will shape the future of American leadership as well as democracies around the world.
Biden called this support for US’ critical allies as a ‘smart investment that will pay dividends for generations to come and keep soldiers out of harm’s way.”
“If we walk away and let Putin erase Ukraine’s independence, would-be aggressors around the world would be emboldened to try the same. The risk of conflict and chaos could spread in other parts of the world – in the Indo Pacific, in the Middle East, especially in the Middle East,” the US President said.
On Thursday, the US issued a travel advisory to all its citizens across the globe “to exercise increased caution” due to “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, (and) demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.”
This address comes after Biden’s wartime visit to Tel Aviv Wednesday, during which he reiterated that Israel was not behind the bombing of Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza.
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‘Cannot give up on two-state solution’
Biden, meanwhile, showcased his support towards the “strong, resilient and angry” Israeli people as well as the United States’ commitment to Palestinian people’s “right to dignity and self-determination”.
“We cannot give up on a two-state solution”, he argued, drawing a clear distinction between Hamas and the Palestinian people and cautioned Israel “not to be blinded by rage”. “The actions of Hamas terrorists don’t take that right (of dignity and self-determination) away.”
The US president further said his country has secured an agreement for the first shipment of humanitarian aid from the UN to Gaza, after holding discussions with the leaders of Israel and Egypt. This comes after the US vetoed a Brazil-led UNSC draft resolution that called for a pause in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas to allow humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
Addressing the American hostages under the control of Hamas, Biden noted that the US is “pursuing every avenue” to bring them home.
This comes after hundreds took to the streets in Times Square Thursday, demanding the release of all hostages. So far, according to Israel officials, 199 people are currently being held hostage by Hamas militants.
According to a Reuters report, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has said 20 or more Americans are missing and added that he could not say how many of those were being held hostage. Republican Senator Jim Risch told media that 10 of the hostages were Americans, the report said.
On growing Islamophobia and antisemitism in the country, Biden empathised with both Muslim and Jewish communities.
“We can’t stand by and stand silent where this happens. We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism. We must, also without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia,” he said, days after a six-year-old Palestinian American boy was stabbed to death in Illinois.
(Edited by Tony Rai)