President Biden to Visit Israel, Reaffirms Israel’s Right to Self-Defense
President Biden Demonstrates Solidarity with Israel
President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Israel on Wednesday to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During these discussions, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that Biden will emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself. This affirmation comes at a time when Israel is expected to launch a ground assault in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack that occurred on October 7.
Israel’s Determination to Annihilate Hamas
Israel has vowed to eradicate the Hamas movement, which governs Gaza. The attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,300 individuals, predominantly civilians, marking the deadliest day in Israel’s history. President Biden will make it unequivocally clear that Israel has both the right and the duty to protect its citizens from Hamas and other terrorist organizations, as well as prevent any future attacks.
Efforts to Minimize Civilian Casualties
Secretary Blinken, after extensive discussions with Israel’s war cabinet in Tel Aviv, stated that Israel will brief President Biden on its war aims, strategy, and operations. Israel is committed to minimizing civilian casualties and ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza without benefiting Hamas. The United States and Israel have also agreed to collaborate on a plan that enables humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza.
Iran Warns of Consequences for Israeli Actions
Iran’s foreign minister has cautioned that Israel will not be allowed to act in Gaza without facing consequences. He warned of potential “preemptive action” in the coming hours. The Gaza authorities have reported over 2,800 deaths, including a quarter of them being children, with more than 10,000 wounded in hospitals facing severe shortages of supplies.
The Resistance Front’s Stand Against Israel
Iran refers to the regional countries and forces opposing Israel and the United States as the “resistance front.” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian emphasized that this front extends beyond Hezbollah in Lebanon and is dedicated to preserving the independence of nations and countering the Zionist regime’s repeated aggressions in the region. He further stated that leaders of the resistance front will not permit the Zionist regime to take any action in Gaza and warned of a potential preemptive action by the resistance front.
Iran’s Perspective on the Conflict
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei clarified that Iran was not involved in the Hamas attack on Israel. However, he commended what he referred to as Israel’s “irreparable” military and intelligence defeat. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed support for the Palestinian cause while emphasizing that the resistance front against Israel makes its own independent decisions.
President Biden’s visit to Israel serves as a significant step in reaffirming the United States’ support for Israel’s right to self-defense. These discussions aim to address the ongoing conflict in Gaza and find a path towards peace and stability in the region.
