(Imaginary) Heartfelt Speech from President Biden to the People of Israel

President Joe Biden needs an end to the war in Gaza. It is crushing the Democratic coalition, which demands that both Jewish and Muslim voters, as well as progressives and moderates, turn out at the polls. This distant war, as well as woke excesses and immigration, could put former President Donald Trump back in the White House.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls for a continuation of the war in Gaza, citing the October 7 disaster (when Hamas massacred 1,200 people due to a basic mistake on the part of his government) and public opinion polls. This is because they want to leave as much time as possible before the election, which the prime minister is expected to win. be defeated.

Once you understand these things, you will understand why these two people are at odds. The US administration went so far as to announce last week that it was withholding key military supplies needed for Israel’s war effort. Biden’s move has led some on the right to call for his impeachment. (Same as before).

If there’s one thing that has surprised me in nearly 30 years of covering international news on four continents, it’s the reluctance of leaders to speak directly to people with effective public diplomacy. . It’s great for journalists to be a conduit. It’s one of the few things that keeps us in business. However, it is often much more effective to avoid us. With that in mind, here’s a speech Biden could make to the Israeli people that could change course.

“good morning.

“You know, I’m often teased for being so old, but one of the benefits of that is that I was there when something happened. In fact, when the state of Israel was born, I was six years old at the time, in 1948. Even as a child, I realized how much I was in awe that the Jewish people had carved out a place for themselves out of the ashes of a harsh history. I remember. That sense of justice has stayed with me ever since. This is what I wanted to do as a Zionist when I came to Israel in 2022 to meet your excellent Prime Minister, Yair Lapid. That’s why I’m glad that it happened.

“Those well-meaning but ignorant kids on campus who talk a lot of nonsense about Zionism – ignore them. They’ll grow up someday. Let me be clear, most of America… People support you and understand that you will fight against these evils.” Hamas terrorists are righteous.

“Hey, any Palestinian with a clue knows that the reason they don’t have a state yet is because of Hamas. Hamas has been trying to undermine the peace process with terrorist attacks for over 30 years. These criminals and their jihadist fellow travelers would hopefully establish an Islamic caliphate in America as well, and we support your efforts to remove them from power in Gaza. I would like to say that I am. That would be an advantage for the Palestinians.

“But, my friends in Israel, this is where the good news ends and the bad news begins. Israel is in a really tough situation, one of the toughest ever, and is using all the resources it can get. We need friends. And we here in America do.” But in situations like that, patriots who are smart enough to do the right thing need to take the lead.

“I have come to the conclusion that Bibi Netanyahu is only trying to prolong the war in hopes that my opponent will win the election. I don’t think he will pressure me to be very careful. My opponent is probably right. But let me tell you, he doesn’t care about Israel at all. No, I don’t care about America at all, like Bibi.

“In case you didn’t know, the war in Gaza basically ended four months ago. Since then, your military has been limping along, dealing with a minor insurgency. It’s similar to what we faced in Iraq.” Believe me, it doesn’t work.

“Your government is lying when I say that I stopped Hamas from finishing with the last uprising in Rafah, where it is currently hiding. I want to see Hamas routed. But I said, ‘Israel will first remove the 1 million or so people who have been evacuated from elsewhere in the Gaza Strip. There are limits to how much I can protect you in the event of a bloody incident that required rescuing.

“I was just about to say that I’ll never know why this hasn’t been done yet. But it’s here in time. It’s clear why this hasn’t been done. Bibi wants the war to continue. And he wants the Hamas I have no intention of having a final battle with him, and I don’t really care if people die, including the hostages, although I hate to say that either.

“This is all, by the way, a complete violation of Israeli military doctrine that goes back to when I was a kid in Scranton. The doctrine was clear: First, fight on your own territory at all costs. Stop it, because this country is very small.” Secondly, it lacks strategic depth, and secondly, most of the military is in reserve, so a long war would hamper the economy, so a quick war could be difficult. The goal is to win, and thirdly, to use that victory to achieve diplomatic objectives.

“Dear Israeli friends, I want you to ask me one thing: Do you know what your government’s diplomatic objectives are? Well, I don’t either. He refused to discuss what would happen after that because he came from far away.” No right coalition partner would forgive him. He succumbs to this because they want endless war and his only real diplomatic purpose is to survive.

“Israel should have done everything it could quickly and should not have messed with humanitarian supplies. That’s never a good look. So while Israel is constantly shooting itself in the foot, My staff and I worked long hours and came up with a pretty good plan.”For Israel, a peace deal was signed with Saudi Arabia and other countries as part of the US-backed regional coalition against Iran, which was ousted by Hamas in 2007. A new and improved Palestinian Authority has returned to Gaza. After years of asking for all this, Bibi has now said no.

“Do you really want Bibi to embarrass you by having an unnecessary forever war with Hamas roaming around Gaza until the cows come home? That’s up to you, but there will be a price. Israel is not a client state of America, so you can do what you want. However, America is by no means a vassal state of Israel. I don’t have to support stupid policies that harm Israel. And that’s what your government is doing.

“We don’t have to be a people living alone. We can’t do that either. When we repelled an Iranian missile attack a few weeks ago, it was because of our cooperation. The government wants to sacrifice that kind of alliance. It’s your government’s fault.” Nuts?

“It’s a strange situation that the government in Washington cares more about Israel than the government in Jerusalem, but that, my friends, is the card we’ve been dealt. That’s why I call on Congress to dissolve and hold new elections. “right now.

“It was hard to believe that an Israeli leader would care more about his own survival than the fate of his own people and Jews around the world. But today, it’s staring us all in the face. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu It’s a national disgrace.”

Dan Perry is a former editor for the Associated Press Middle East editor based in Cairo and Europe/Africa editor based in London.please follow him danperry.substack.com.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.