The State Department swiftly changed the subject from Israel’s storming of Muslim holy sites to rocket attacks on Israel. “We recognize that Israel has the legitimate right to defend itself against all forms of aggression.”
After doing all he can to avoid confronting Netanyahu, Joe Biden called on him to halt judicial overhaul and said he’s not invited to Washington. Biden knows major Jewish groups have his back.
These days there are debates about the state of free speech in America everywhere, often with a specific focus on campus free speech, but the topic of Palestine is rarely considered.
The Netanyahu government has been increasingly bad for Israel’s international image, which is causing anxiety among those looking to justify apartheid.
State Dept spokesperson Ned Price is stepping down. He often struggled to show concern for Palestinians while making clear the U.S. would do nothing to hold Israel accountable. Here are a few of his highlights.
As communities across Palestine face the worst settler attacks in years, there has been a spate of pro-Israel letters and bills back in Washington, DC.
On February 22, Israeli forces invaded Nablus, killing 11 Palestinians, and wounding more than 100 more. The Biden administration responded by calling for “both sides” to “de-escalate tensions.”
The State Department was asked multiple times whether or not the Biden administration was prepared to do anything to impede Israel’s new West Bank settlement plans– legalizing Jewish outposts– beyond the customary condemnations. Ned Price’s answer was “No,” but he used many words to get there.
Pro-Israel activists and lawmakers are up in arms about questions on the NY State Regents exam which discuss the creation of the state of Israel, and acknowledge that the Golan Heights were illegally annexed.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Israel and things went exactly as one might expect. There were the usual public comments about the Biden administration’s ironclad support for the country, the standard denunciations of Palestine violence paired with tepid criticisms of Israeli state violence, and (of course) some references to the two-state solution. However, the context of the trip makes the same old song and dance seem a bit more ridiculous.