Biden to visit Israel in ‘critical moment’ for the region, says Blinken
GuardianOct 17, 2023
The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden will on Wednesday travel to Tel Aviv "at a critical moment for Israel, for the region and for the world," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said from the Israeli capital on Tuesday.
Blinken was back in Israel for the second time in five days. After first arriving last week, he traveled to Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, as well as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. In Jordan, alongside King Abdullah II, Blinken met with the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Biden is making this historic war-time visit to Israel at a time when there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, threats of a wider war with Iran, and a tense hostage negotiation between Hamas and Israel. This is a pivotal moment for Biden and his administration as he navigates extraordinarily complex waters.
Pro-Israel narrative
Biden's wartime visit to Israel is a demonstration of a key ally coming to stand in solidarity with the country following Hamas' brutal assault on Oct. 7. Biden will reaffirm Washington’s commitment to the security of the Jewish state, and is expected to declare that Israel has an "obligation" to defend itself and act to prevent future attacks, meaning Israel will have a relatively free hand as far as the US is concerned.
Pro-Palestine narrative
What Israel has done to the Palestinian people in Gaza is nothing short of collective punishment that violates international law. Thousands of civilians have been killed, and who knows how many more are filling the halls of already undersupplied hospitals. Western countries need to immediately facilitate the lifting of the blockade — Biden and Blinken are clearly concerned and aware of the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe.
Nerd narrative
There's an 88% chance that there will be an Israel-Hezbollah war by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
