Obama says ‘nobody’s hands are clean’ in the Israeli war on Gaza
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Former US President Barack Obama warns against ignoring the complexities of the war on Gaza, noting that "nobody’s hands are clean."
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Former US President Barack Obama waves to the audience as he arrives to speak at the International Convention Center in occupied al-Quds, Thursday, March 21, 2013. (AP)
During an interview on Pod Save America, Former US President Barack Obama commented on the Israeli war on Gaza saying, “Nobody’s hands are clean".
“[I]f you want to solve the problem, then, you have to take in the whole truth,” Obama said in a podcast clip posted to X on Saturday.
“And you then have to admit nobody’s hands are clean, that all of us are complicit to some degree,” the former president continued. “I look at this and I think back, ‘What could I have done during my presidency, to move this forward?’ as hard as I tried. I’ve got the scars to prove it.”
President @BarackObama on the violence in Gaza.
— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) November 4, 2023
Full interview out Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/U42Jy2Aa4y
In his statement, Obama both condemned Hamas and extended sympathy toward the innocent civilians in Gaza, adding “What Hamas did was horrific, and there’s no justification for it. And what is also true is that the occupation and what’s happening to Palestinians is unbearable."
US divide over Gaza war
His statements come amid a clear divide in the US public opinion over the war in Gaza.
On college campuses, in workplaces, on city streets, and even within the Capitol building and the White House, there is a noticeable and widening divide in opinions regarding the Israeli war on Gaza. That said, these profound divisions are causing turmoil within American society and could potentially alter the landscape of US politics.
“Most foreign policy issues do not generate these kinds of strong feelings in the U.S.,” says Guy Ziv, a professor at American University’s School of International Service. “There has always been a disproportionate interest in this issue.”
Moreover, in Washington, Democratic members of Congress are becoming more outspoken in their criticism of the war effort, as reported by Axios' Andrew Solender.
Close to 60 House and Senate Democrats collectively signed a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This letter, released on Friday night, urges him to exert pressure on the Israeli government to take greater measures in reducing civilian casualties.
Read next: US concerned about "Israel's" plan for invading Gaza: NYT
Earlier last month, Obama said that the actions taken by "Israel" against Hamas, such as cutting off food and water supplies to Gaza, could lead to the "hardening of Palestinian positions for generations" and "weakening international support for Israel."
He added that any Israeli military strategy that disregards the human casualties of war will ultimately backfire.
"The Israeli government's decision to cut off food, water, and electricity supplies to the besieged civilian population [in Gaza] not only threatens to exacerbate the escalating humanitarian crisis but can also increase the hardening of Palestinian positions for many generations, leading to a decline in global support for Israel and providing an opportunity for Israel's enemies to exploit it against them and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region."
Obama denounced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and reiterated his support for "Israel's right to defend itself", but at the same time, he warned of "the risks that civilians face in such wars."
