President Biden: ‘There’s No Higher Priority for Me Than the Safety of Americans Held Hostage’
In a rare televised address, the president argues that bolstering Israel and Ukraine is essential for preventing wider conflict and chaos
“We are facing an inflection point in history, one of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come,” US President Joe Biden said in a rare Oval Office address to Americans. “American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe,” continued Biden.
American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe.
Biden addressed the American people hours after returning from Israel. The address was an attempt to convince the American people that the US must fund a multibillion-dollar security package to help Israel and Ukraine win their wars, two fights in which the president sees similarities.
“Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: they both want to completely annihilate neighboring democracies, completely annihilate it.”
Stopping these groups now, according to Biden, is vital to US national security.
“History has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay the price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction. They keep going and the cost and the threats to America and the world keep rising,” said Biden.
Wrapping Putin and Hamas into the same aid package is a political strategy, and the issue of funding Israel and Ukraine in the same package will be controversial to some politicians.
While Biden’s overall approval rating is still below 50% in multiple polls, recent polling shows the president might be on the right track with his foreign policy decisions. About 65% of the Quinnipiac University Poll respondents believe supporting Ukraine is in the best interests of the US. The poll also found that since the October 7 attacks on Israel, most Americans are deeply sympathetic to Israelis.
Biden also enjoys bipartisanship support with US politicians on issues pertaining to the war in Israel. Earlier today, the US Senate unanimously passed the “Standing with Israel against terrorism” resolution.
“We must not rest until our committee, our Congress, and our nation has done everything we can to support Israel in this time of need,” Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said from the Senate floor.
The resolution not only affirms US support for Israel and its right to defend itself but also warns Iran and its proxies from interfering.
“We’ll move President Biden’s request to provide Israel the aid it needs to defend itself,” Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted on his Threads social media account.
It is unclear what the red line is for the United States, though. Within the last 36 hours, Lebanese Hizbullah has fired numerous munitions at Israel, Iraqi militias used one-way drones in an attack on US assets in Iraq, and the USS Carny earned the distinction of firing the first known American shots in support of Israel in this war when it intercepted the Yemeni Houthis’ missiles they fired toward Israel.
While the US Senate has, primarily, backed Biden on both the Ukraine and Israel issues, it will not all be smooth sailing for his security aid package.
The US House of Representatives, which holds the “power of the purse,” is still without a speaker, which complicates things for Biden’s multibillion-dollar security package. Additionally, Ukraine aid has already proved to be a sticking point for a cadre of Republicans, many of whom have fought against including multiple funding issues as a single bill.
A contingent of Democrats will be equally unhappy to be faced with the choice of funding Israel along with Ukraine.
Biden acknowledged these issues.
“You can’t let petty, partisan, angry politics get in the way of our responsibilities as a great nation,” Biden directed at Congress.
Biden also acknowledged the deaths caused by Hamas and the hostages who are still being held by the terrorist organization.
“As I told the families of Americans being held captive by Hamas, we’re pursuing every avenue to bring their loved ones home. As president, there is no higher priority for me than the safety of Americans held hostage.”
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) were not present for the Senate’s vote. However, all three signed the “Standing with Israel against terrorism” resolution.
