President Joe Biden released a statement Saturday saying he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “reiterated [his] unwavering commitment to Israel’s security” in the wake of an unprecedented attack carried out by Iran-backed Palestinian terrorists. The attack comes nearly a month after Biden gave Iran access to $6 billion.
“Today, I spoke with [Netanyahu] about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israel’s security. @FLOTUS and I express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones,” Biden said.
Netanyahu’s office also released a statement Saturday morning, saying President Joe Biden “emphasized” America’s support for its allies in the wake of an unprecedented attack by Palestinian terrorists.
“US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized that the US stands by Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself,” the statement said. “The Prime Minister thanked the US President for his unreserved support and made it clear that a prolonged and powerful campaign would be required in which Israel would win.”
Netanyahu declared that Israel “is at war” Saturday, and the Israel Defense Force launched “Operation Swords of Iron” to defend the country from the terrorists. At least 100 people are dead and more than 900 people wounded, according to Israeli officials, after Palestinian terrorists fired rockets and infiltrated Israel, carrying out attacks on military personnel and civilians.
The attacks were carried out by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic terrorist group that is funded in-part by Iran, during the holiday of Simchat Torah and on Shabbat — the Jewish day of rest that is observed by many in Israel. The attack comes after Biden unfroze $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues in exchange for the release of five U.S. citizens who were being held in false imprisonment in Tehran. Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism as they are the major funder of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Islamic terror groups.
Javed Ali, a former White House counterterrorism official, told The New York Times that “Iranian support also likely played a significant role given Tehran’s longstanding relationship with Hamas and supply of money, weapons and training.”
Israel’s adversaries in the Middle East — Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — voiced their support for the Palestinian terrorists and criticized Israel following Hamas’ surprise attack.
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“We congratulate the Palestinian fighters,” Iranian advisor Yahya Rahim Safavi said. “We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.”
The U.S. has been attempting to work out an Israel-Saudi Arabia pact, but Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing for Israel to make concessions to Palestinians. After the Hamas attack, Saudi Arabia said in a statement, “The Kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel alone responsible for the current escalation due to this ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the repeated raids on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under of the protection of Israeli police,” Qatar said in response to Hamas’ attack.
Biden’s statement expressing his support for Israel came after numerous European leaders condemned Hamas and voiced that they back Israel.
