” A shame “. Donald Trump accused Joe Biden on Thursday of “taking the side” of Hamas and denounced the American president’s threats to stop delivering certain weapons to Israel in the event of a major offensive in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. “What Biden is doing regarding Israel is a disgrace,” the Republican presidential candidate in November told the media, before rushing into the courtroom of the New York court where he is being tried for concealment of a payment to an ex-porn star. “He completely abandoned Israel. »
“The idea that we are abandoning this role (of supporting Israel) and that we are not ready to help them defeat Hamas is simply not borne out by the facts,” he said. for his part a spokesperson for the White House, John Kirby, a few hours after Donald Trump’s declaration.
The Democratic president warned on Wednesday that he “would not deliver” certain weapons to Israel, of which the United States is the primary military supporter, in particular “artillery shells”, in the event of major operations against Rafah. “We are not distancing ourselves from Israel’s security, we are distancing ourselves from Israel’s ability to wage war in these areas,” he declared, specifying that the United States would, for example, continue to support Israel’s air defense shield, the Iron Dome.
This is the first time that President Biden has publicly placed conditions on American military aid to Israel, which is waging a war against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for the attack perpetrated on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement on the ground. Israeli.
“Peace through strength”
“Joe-the-Scoundrel takes the side of these terrorists” of Hamas, also said Donald Trump on his Truth social network, assuring that back in power, he would “demand peace through force”. Joe Biden “cannot claim that his support for Israel is unshakable while denying him the weapons he needs precisely to defend himself,” the leader of the Republicans in the Senate Mitch McConnell commented on X, judging that the president was giving in to pressure from “radicals from his left wing”.
“Sustainably defeating Hamas remains Israel’s objective and we share this objective,” said John Kirby, spokesperson for the American National Security Council, attached to the White House. “Entering Rafah in force will not achieve this objective,” he said. John Kirby added that, on the other hand, the United States could help Israel “target the leaders” of the Palestinian Islamist group, including its leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinouar, alleged mastermind of the October 7 attack.
Under the presidency of Donald Trump, the United States turned its back on a two-state solution by unilaterally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The American embassy had been moved to the holy city, causing a global outcry. At the beginning of April, the real estate magnate, however, estimated that Israel was “losing the communications war” in Gaza, evoking the “terrible images” of “bombs dropped on buildings” in the Palestinian territory.
