They had moved delegates at the Democratic convention in Chicago on August 21. When Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents spoke, their 23-year-old son, kidnapped by Hamas, was still alive. His body was found at the end of the week by the Israeli army in a tunnel under the city of Rafah. He was shot at point-blank range by Hamas fighters, according to the Jewish state, as were five other hostages.
Because of the public role played by his parents, Jon and Rachel, in mobilizing for the hostages and their many contacts with American officials, the emotion aroused has been strong in Washington. The family’s grief is compounded by the feeling that time is running out to save the prisoners who are still alive.
Yet American officials refuse to put words to the current impasse, as does a part of Israeli society, angry at its own government. Shortly before midnight on Saturday, Joe Biden and then Kamala Harris each issued a statement. The president said “devastated and outraged”, “heartbroken” adding that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes”in reference to Yahya Sinouar, its elusive leader.
Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Kamala Harris sticks to Biden line on Gaza, to the disappointment of some on the left
Add to your selections
For her part, the vice-president considered that this “evil terrorist organization” will have to be “eliminated” and that “Hamas cannot control Gaza.” Formulas borrowed from the jargon of the Israeli right for eleven months and which do not correspond to the operational analyses of the army itself, which does not want to linger in the ruined Palestinian territory.
Out of step with reality
The Democratic candidate has made more empathetic remarks than Joe Biden towards the tortured civilians of Gaza in recent months. But, two months before the presidential election, she does not want to expose herself to the suspicion that she would turn her back on Israel, despite the mobilization and criticism of a part of the Democratic youth in several key states, such as Wisconsin and Michigan.
On Saturday, the vice president made no explicit reference to the administration’s months-long diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire. It would secure the release of the hostages in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal and the release of several hundred Palestinian detainees. In mid-August, Joe Biden said he was ” optimistic “ on the imminent conclusion of negotiations.
Read the column | Article reserved for our subscribers “On all counts, Joe Biden risks paying a high price for his choices in the dramatic crisis underway in the Middle East”
Add to your selections
In his entourage, a date was even mentioned, the end of the week of August 19, the same day as the Democratic convention in Chicago. Such remarks had already been made in the previous months, without consequence, leading to a devaluation of American credibility. On Monday, September 2, Joe Biden was to gather his team of negotiators at the White House, to formulate a final offer in the coming days.
You have 44.7% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
Related News :