'Israel', US divide bursts into the open as Biden rebukes Netanyahu

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: New York Times + Reuters
12 Dec 2023 22:58
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Despite continuous US support to Israelis, Biden's remarks on Tuesday represented a significant break in language since the war on Gaza began.

Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at the hospital Rafah, Gaza, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Tensions between "Israel" and its closest ally, the United States, showed signs of rising on Tuesday as President Joe Biden publicly expressed concern that "Israel's" indiscriminate bombing in Gaza was eroding international support, writers Eric Nagourney and Gaya Gupta wrote for The New York Times.

With the civilian toll rising in Gaza, Biden warned in a Washington address that the world was turning against "Israel", urging changes within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

The traditionally staunch support from the US for "Israel" appeared to soften, marking a notable departure from previous rhetoric, perceived by the NYT's article, despite no changes in US-made weapons and bombs delivery to the Israelis.

According to the writers, Biden's remarks represented a significant break in language since the war on Gaza began.

Biden has had strong disagreements with Netanyahu for decades, and his words with him have provided new insight into their private conversations that were reported by Reuters.

"You carpet-bombed Germany, you dropped the atom bomb, a lot of civilians died," the Israeli leader reportedly added, according to a private conversation that Biden hinted to.

"Yes, that is why all these institutions were established after World War Two to ensure that it didn't happen again... don't make the same mistakes we made in 9/11," Biden stated in response. "We don't need to be fighting a war in Afghanistan."

At his fundraising engagements, Biden frequently talks off the cuff in front of an audience of approximately one hundred people, many of whom were Jewish and pro-Israeli, according to Reuters.

"Israel's security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world ... But they're starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place," Biden told Netanyahu according to Reuters.

Netanyahu rejects possible future PA rule over Gaza

Netanyahu, in a video address to Israelis preceding Biden's statement, rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza after the war concludes, a proposition that the US has been advocating.

Netanyahu underscored a disagreement over the post-war scenario, stating, "After the great sacrifice of our civilians and our soldiers, I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism, and finance terrorism."

"Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan," he added, referring Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas's party.

The Israeli aggression on Gaza, initiated in response to Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, has resulted in more than 18,000 civilian martyrs, drawing increasing global condemnation for the disproportionate death toll.

Until Tuesday, the US had been a notable exception in its support, a fact acknowledged by Netanyahu in his address.

"I greatly appreciate the American support for destroying Hamas and returning our hostages," Netanyahu stated. "Following an intensive dialogue with President Biden and his team, we received full backing for the ground incursion and blocking the international pressure to stop the war."

Why the US will always remain a firm ally to 'Israel'

According al Al Mayadeen analysts, "Israel's" extensive use of overwhelming force, particularly evident in the war on Gaza, is not random.

It serves as a blueprint for the US when aiming to suppress specific forms of dissent, employing strategies like 'shock and awe' and other excessive displays of force.

The imperialist objective is to underscore the futility of resistance given the significant military imbalance.

Hamas co-founder Abdul-Aziz Al-Rantisi, shortly before his assassination by Israeli missiles, echoed a slogan from George Habash, roughly translating to: "We are winning because our people's resolve to carry out the struggle is unwavering."

Shortly thereafter, Al-Rantisi was assassinated, reflecting the suppression of any revolutionary thought that offers hope to the dispossessed.