Biden asserts U.S. support for Israel in presidential debate on Gaza conflict

In response to a question during the Presidential Debate about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, President Joe Biden asserted that the United States is providing Israel with all necessary weapons.

The debate, produced by CNN, took place on Friday morning (28 June), in Georgia, marking the inaugural debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

Dana Bash, anchor of CNN’s Inside Politics and co-anchor of State of the Union, moderated the debate and posed a question about the Middle East conflict to President Biden.

Bash highlighted the severe impact of the conflict, stating, “In October, Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than a thousand people and taking hundreds of hostages. Among those held and thought to still be alive are five Americans. Israel’s response has killed thousands of Palestinians and created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

She then pressed President Biden on his strategy, asking, “President Biden, you’ve put forward a proposal to resolve this conflict, but so far, Hamas has not released the remaining hostages, and Israel is continuing its military offensive in Gaza. So what additional leverage will you use to get Hamas and Israel to end the war?”

In response to Bash’s query on his proposal to resolve the conflict, President Biden outlined a three-stage plan for peace.

“Everyone from the United Nations Security Council straight through the G7 to the Israelis and Netanyahu himself have endorsed the plan I put forward, which has three stages to it. The first stage is to trade the hostages for a ceasefire. The second phase is a ceasefire with additional conditions. The third phase is now the end of the war.”

President Biden emphasized that the only party resisting peace efforts is Hamas.

He asserted, “We’re still pushing hard to get them to accept. In the meantime, we’re providing Israel with all the weapons they need and when they need them.”

President Biden underscored U.S. support for Israel, stating, “We are the biggest producer of support for Israel of anyone in the world. We continue to send our experts and our intelligence people as to how they can get Hamas like we did Bin Laden.”

BREAKING| During the US #PresidentialDebate, Biden says "We're providing Israel with all the weapons they need and when they need them… We're the biggest producer of support for Israel of anyone in the world… We'll continue to send our experts and our intelligence people so… pic.twitter.com/1BTKtELaPG

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 28, 2024

President Biden’s ‘red line’ policy on Israeli actions in Gaza

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), 69 percent of Israel’s arms imports in 2023 came from American manufacturers, while 30 percent were sourced from Germany.

The U.S. provides $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to Israel, and in April, President Biden signed a law granting Israel an additional $17 billion in aid amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

However, in May, Washington confirmed it had held up a shipment of 1,800 bombs weighing 900kg (2,000 pounds) and 1,700 bombs weighing 226kg (500 pounds) to the Israeli military.

This decision was due to concerns about civilian casualties in Rafah, southern Gaza.

In April, President Biden issued a warning that the U.S. would reconsider its support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza if Israel were to attack Rafah, labeling it a “red line.”

In an interview with CNN, President Biden reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Israel’s defense, including providing Iron Dome interceptors and other defensive weaponry.

However, he made clear, “If Israel enters Rafah, we will not supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”

Despite international criticism of Israeli strikes that have hit displaced families in tents, Biden administration officials highlighted Israel’s efforts to avoid extensive attacks on densely populated areas of Rafah.

President Biden further specified that while Israel’s actions near Rafah’s borders have caused tensions and drawn international attention, they have not yet crossed the red line by entering heavily populated zones.

However, this stance by President Biden has garnered criticism. In early June, thousands of pro-Palestine protesters surrounded the White House with a three-kilometer-long red banner inscribed with the names of Palestinians killed by Israel

Protesters wore red clothing and held signs reading, “Biden’s red line was a lie” and “Genocide is our red line,” accusing President Biden of failing to uphold his stated red line.

Since the Israeli assault on 7 October, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports that the death toll has surpassed 37,700, with over 86,300 people injured, including numerous women and children.