Biden aide acknowledges missteps on Gaza and regrets failure to express concern over loss of Palestinian life
CBSFeb 12
Gaza: Biden Hopeful for Cease-Fire, Regional Officials Skeptical
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The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden said on Monday that he's hopeful that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas will be agreed upon within a week, saying that Israel would pause its looming operation into Rafah (in which over 1.2M Palestinians are taking refuge on the Egyptian border) before Ramadan.
In contrast to Biden's comments, regional officials expressed apprehension on Tuesday, with a Qatari official saying that none of the remaining issues have been solved. Hamas, which is weighing a proposal hammered out in Paris last week, said many "big gaps" remain.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, Netanyahu is going too far, and he must be willing to follow through on his promises to compromise on a needed truce. The Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel will always be thankful for the US' steadfast support, but Pres. Joe Biden needs to take a step back from his criticisms of Israel's Prime Minister. Netanyahu is a complicated figure, and Biden has a re-election campaign to worry about, which has created understandable tension between the two. However, Biden must understand that he should be pressuring Hamas terrorists — who have not made a single positive step in finding a compromise — instead of Israel. Israel will pursue its goals, which are incredibly popular with its citizens, regardless of whether it annoys Washington.
Pro-Palestine narrative
As Israel's slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated, the Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to bad faith tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal campaign. Regardless of how the administration tries to spin it, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Indeed, Israel's war on Gaza would be unsustainable without US support, and Biden should enact concrete policy to stop the violence.
Nerd narrative
There's a 2% chance that Hamas will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.