The Hamas attack pits Biden against the Republicans in the midst of a fierce election race
The surprise attack launched by the Hamas movement on Saturday against Israel, with leaks about Israeli plans for a strong retaliatory response, placed the Biden administration in a difficult challenge and test of the extent of the success of his administration’s foreign policy file, with the risks of escalating confrontations and the outbreak of a broader conflict in the Middle East region. In the midst of a fierce electoral race and a difficult battle to win a second term.
Biden and his senior aides spent Saturday consulting with European leaders and in extensive contact with the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Biden showed steadfast support for Israel in his statements to reporters at the White House, describing the attacks as “unconscionable,” and pledged that his administration would ensure that Israel “has what it needs to defend itself.”
However, criticism has followed Biden from the leaders of the Republican Party and his rival Republican candidates, saying that his administration’s policies led to this crisis. It also raised major questions about the arguments made by President Biden, that his long experience in the field of foreign policy has made the world safer. On the contrary, Biden faces accusations from his political opponents that “the hotspots of unrest in the world have multiplied during his reign.”
An Israeli security member in front of a police station in the Sderot settlement that was damaged during battles to expel Hamas fighters who were stationed inside it on Sunday.
Analysts say that the potential for violence to erupt in the coming weeks and months will test the Biden administration’s ability to lead and prove its ability to manage the conflict, while trying to show support for Israel, while at the same time calming tensions, creating space for diplomatic efforts, and working to establish peace in the Middle East region.
Washington options
The Biden administration acknowledges that the situation is more complex than any previous conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and that it faces a difficult geopolitical situation, and is speaking with leaders in Egypt and Qatar to pressure Palestinian armed groups in Gaza to reach a ceasefire agreement and negotiate the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. », reduce the tone of retaliation, and work calmly with allies to end the violence.
The administration faces difficult choices between encouraging and supporting Israel to do what the Netanyahu government believes is necessary to restore stability and take strong deterrence steps, and the risks of increasing civilian casualties in Gaza, which may increase calls from progressives in the Democratic Party to demand that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu step down. Cries emerged that “Israel is killing civilians with American weapons,” and is acting disproportionately. As relations between Biden and Netanyahu become tense, Biden’s task will be more difficult to put pressure on Netanyahu.
Detainees in Iran upon their arrival at Doha Airport, September 17, as part of a prisoner exchange deal (AP)
On the other hand, the attack adds new complications; As the Biden administration and Iran are engaged in disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran says the program is peaceful; But it is now enriching uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. However, the administration has not given up hope of reviving the agreement reached under the Obama administration (rescinded by the Trump White House) that eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. In his speech, Biden alluded to fears of the conflict expanding and other parties entering the line of attack against Israel. “Let me say this very clearly: This is not the right moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks for gain,” Biden said, without explicitly referring to Iran or Hezbollah.
Republican attack
A number of Republican candidates running for the 2024 presidential race were quick to blame the Biden administration, and linked his decision to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds in exchange for the deal to release American prisoners, to the expanded attack launched by “Hamas” against Israel, pointing to Iran’s relations. History with the Hamas movement, and that Tehran did not use the money to meet its food and medicine needs, as the Biden administration says.
Israeli tanks are transported along the border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday (AFP)
Former President Donald Trump described the United States under Biden as having become weak and ineffective on the international scene. He said in a statement: “Unfortunately, American taxpayer money helped fund these attacks, which many reports say came from the Biden administration.” Trump added: “We brought a lot of peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden undermine it at a much faster pace than anyone thought possible.”
The Trump campaign said in a statement: “One month ago, President Trump warned of Biden’s weakness and said that he had paid $6 billion to Iran, which would be used for terrorism throughout the Middle East, and this is exactly what is happening now.”
Republican candidate Ron DeSantos, Governor of Florida, said that the Biden administration was lenient with Iran and helped fill Tehran’s coffers with money. He said that Israel is paying the price for the political decisions taken by the Biden administration.
The dastardly terrorist attacks perpetrated against innocent Israeli civilians by Iran-backed terror group Hamas deserve a swift and lethal response.Israel not only has the right to defend itself against these attacks, it has a duty to respond with overwhelming force.I…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 7, 2023
In a video clip on the “X” website, DeSantos said: “Iran helped finance this war against Israel, and Biden’s lenient policies with Iran helped fill their coffers, and Israel is now paying the price for those policies.” He added: “We will stand with Israel as it uproots Hamas, and we need to stand up to Iran.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence accused the Biden administration of currying favor with the clerical regime in Iran. Pointing to the decline of the United States in leadership of the free world.
I’m horrified by Iranian-backed Hamas’ unprecedented attack against Israel. This blatant disregard for innocent life must be unequivocally condemned. Israel has a right to defend itself and the United States must stand in support of its steadfast ally.
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) October 7, 2023
As for the Republican candidate, Senator Tim Scott, from South Carolina, he said that the Hamas attack against Israel came in the wake of the Biden administration paying a ransom of $6 billion to Iran, and he wrote on the “X” website: “The truth is that Joe Biden funded These attacks on Israel. He added: “We did not just cause this aggression; “But we paid for it.”
Republican candidate Haley Kelly said in a statement: “Hamas is a terrorist organization thirsty for destruction, and is supported by Iran. It is determined to kill as many innocent lives as possible,” while Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy wrote on the “X” website, saying, “Shooting civilians and kidnapping children (war crimes), and Israel’s right to exist and defend itself should not be questioned.” “Hamas and Hezbollah, which are supported by Iran, cannot be allowed to win.”
A senior Biden administration official, in statements to reporters on Saturday evening (on the condition of anonymity), denied that “it is too early to say whether Iran was directly involved in planning or supporting the complex attack.” But he pointed to Iran’s deep relations with Hamas.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also posted tweets in which he said: “Let’s be clear, the agreement to bring American citizens home from Iran has nothing to do with the horrific attack on Israel.”
“Not a dime of this money has been spent, and when it is spent it can only be spent on things like food and medicine for the Iranian people,” Darian Watson, a spokeswoman for the US National Security Council, said in a statement. She added: “This money has absolutely nothing to do with the horrific attacks against Israel, and this is not the time to spread misinformation.”
Biden shakes hands with Netanyahu during their meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 20 (AFP)
Intelligence failure
Israel admitted that the attacks launched by Hamas fighters revealed deficiencies in the work of Israeli intelligence. But American political circles also raised questions about shortcomings in the work of American intelligence. Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer, said that what happened was a massive intelligence failure by Israeli and American intelligence. There were no expectations or reports indicating that Washington and Tel Aviv had information or expectations that such an attack was possible.
James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence, told CNN on Saturday that he was surprised by the Hamas attacks, which “exposed the fragility of Netanyahu’s government in a miserable way,” and raised questions in American news coverage and in world capitals about how and why the security services did not detect the attack. Intelligence in Jerusalem and Washington this major attack.
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2023-10-08 17:13:12
