Netanyahu applauds Biden for being first US president to visit Israel during war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today applauded US President Joe Biden for being the first US president to visit Israel during a war, following his arrival in Tel Aviv this morning.

According to the Times of Israel, he was greeted with an embrace by Netanyahu and is due to meet other Israeli leaders in a show of support amid Israel’s genocidal attacks against the Gaza Strip.

His first remarks during a joint conference today in Tel Aviv, were a strong show of that support, as he backed Israel’s firm denial of responsibility for a massacre at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which killed more than 500 people.

“Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. But there’s a lot of people out there not sure, so we’ve got to overcome a lot of things,” Biden told the Israeli PM.

The Israeli air strike that struck the hospital came on day 11 of the current bombardment of the Strip by occupation forces, with a growing international chorus of non-governmental groups and world leaders saying the Israeli bombing campaign on the besieged Gaza Strip – including healthcare facilities, homes and places of worship – violates international law and may constitute a war crime.

Palestinian group, Hamas, called Israel targeting a hospital an act of “genocide.” Footage on social media showed bodies scattered across the hospital grounds.

Moreover, Biden said Hamas was worse than Daesh for its killings of Israeli civilians in the surprise attack on 7 October which the president characterised as “slaughter”, reported The Guardian.

He also stated that Hamas had committed actions and atrocities that were even more extreme than those committed by Daesh, characterising Daesh as somewhat more rational.

READ: Who’s to blame for the massacre at Gaza’s Baptist Hospital?

Meanwhile, the Israeli PM told Biden: “On October 7, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis, maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million people. This would be equivalent to over 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day. That’s 20 9/11s. That is why October 7 is another day that will live in infamy.”

He added: “Just as the civilised world united to defeat the Nazis, and united to defeat ISIS [Daesh], the civilised world must unite to defeat Hamas,” stressing that Israel is united and will defeat Hamas “and remove this terrible threat from our lives. The forces of civilisation will prevail — for our sake, for your sake, for peace and security in our region and in the world.”

He also expressed that for the people of Israel, having a true friend like Biden standing with Israel is highly appreciated, noting that Biden is the first US president to visit Israel during a time of war, which he found “deeply, deeply moving.”

“For the people of Israel, there’s only one thing better than having a true friend like you standing with Israel, and that is having you standing in Israel. It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to Israel. It speaks to the depth of your personal commitment to the future of the Jewish people and the one and only Jewish state.”

Netanyahu closed his remarks by thanking Biden for supporting Israel “today, tomorrow, and always.”

READ: 40 Palestinians massacred in Jabaliya, Khan Yunis