Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s latest verbal volley at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thrown yet another log on the ever-raging fire of U.S.-Israel relations. This time, the commander-in-chief is taking Netanyahu to task for what he claims is a sluggish approach to securing a hostage deal with Hamas after six unfortunate souls were discovered dead in Gaza. Apparently, for Biden, there’s a clock that ticks only for him to monitor, while he continues to juggle the underwhelming progress of diplomatic negotiations.
As usual, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris conferred in the White House Situation Room, likely surrounded by a plethora of charts and PowerPoint presentations. The duo claims that both sides are on the brink of a ceasefire and hostage release deal. One might wonder, though, if “close” is Biden’s equivalent of “the check is in the mail.” Nevertheless, he assured the press that all it takes is a flicker of hope—something he seems to have a surplus of when it comes to negotiating with terrorist organizations.
In a dramatic twist, the bodies of the six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were found mere moments before the Israeli Defense Forces could get their hands on them. For Biden, it seems that “hope springs eternal” resonates more as wishful thinking than as a solid strategy against Hamas. Perhaps the president’s approach might have benefited from some old-fashioned military pressure rather than relying solely on the goodwill of terrorists.
The irony of Biden simultaneously demanding consequences for Hamas while critiquing Israel for not doing enough to counteract the terrorists’ actions has not gone unnoticed. This is a classic case of passing the buck, showcasing how the Biden administration cleverly sidesteps its responsibility. Just months earlier, Biden warned that he’d cut off arms to Israel if they dared to make any military moves in Rafah. Despite this, Netanyahu asserted that hostages were at stake and expressed determination to act, blessed or not by Biden’s fickle approval.
Joe Biden Accuses Netanyahu of Not Doing Enough to Secure Hostage Deal – Always trashing Israel and never holding Hamas accountable is typical for antisemite Joe Biden https://t.co/q09jaZPHos
— Lois Levine Fishman (@FishmanLevine) September 2, 2024
Moreover, the frustrations of family members of hostages are pouring out, revealing an unsettling truth that no one seems eager to face. One father succinctly demanded a “negotiated agreement with Satan,” lambasting the Biden administration for holding on to a fairy tale idea of triumph over Hamas. While he pointed out that countless months of military pressure have yielded little more than bodies, the administration seems to remain set on a course of balance and restraint, leaving families and the nation dangling in uncertainty for way too long. With seven Americans still in captivity and the stakes higher than ever, the prospect of a deal with Hamas hangs tenuously in the balance, proving that hope alone does not make for a robust plan.
