US Political Leaders Respond to the Ongoing Israel-Hamas War
On October 7, several hours after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, President Biden spoke in the State Dining Room of the White House, pledging “rock solid and unwavering support” for Israel. Photo: Jim Watson / Associated Press
Around 6 am local time on October 7, Hamas launched a full-scale attack from Gaza into territories under Israeli control. Israel subsequently declared war on October 8 amidst the intensifying conflict, and up to nine US citizens have died in the region, triggering US criticism and action against Hamas.
Since Israel declared its independence in 1948, the US has long been an ally of Israel and has cooperated in its economic and military spheres. Within hours after the conflict started, President Biden called the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the call, President Biden stressed that “the United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists.” The US, moreover, “stands ready to offer all appropriate means of support” for Israel’s security.
Prime Minister Netanyahu later described President Biden’s support as “unreserved.”
On October 10, President Biden sent the US aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford strike group, along with one cruiser, four destroyers, and complementing aircraft and missiles, to the East Mediterranean Sea. Two dozen air fighters and interceptors, directed to replenish the Iron Dome against additional Hamas rockets and artillery, are also on their way to Israel. More US military equipment and personnel are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
In Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, condemned Hamas for its violence and expressed his support for Israel on social media. Similar condemnation and expression of support were followed by hundreds of senators and representatives around the country.
In the meantime, some Democrat senators and representatives pointed out that the US should not support Israel for its “apartheid policies” against Palestinians in the region. Many Palestinians living in territories under Israeli control have claimed to be deprived of their land and homes for the benefit of Jewish Israelis due to discriminatory legal practices of Israeli authorities. According to them, many of them were forcefully evicted from their homeland where their families have lived for at least decades. Considering this, other US politicians called for a more neutral stance and an immediate ceasefire of both Israeli and Hamas military forces.
Mike Pence, the former vice president under the Trump Administration, has announced he is seeking the GOP nomination for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Photo: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press
Similar divides can be found in the Republican Party. While major GOP 2024 Presidential candidates, including Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikk Haley, denounced Hamas for its attacks, some were accused of not being firm in their support for Ukraine. Republican Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina, for instance, alluded to and criticized Vivek’s previous comment that the US should not give regular financial aid to Israel.
On the other hand, former President Donald Trump connected the ongoing conflict with the Biden Administration’s policies on Iran, saying that President Biden’s weakened enforcement of sanctions on Iran showcased “American weakness.” Instead, Trump promises to adopt a more arduous approach against Iran and Hamas if reelected in 2024. “I can’t imagine how anybody who’s Jewish or anybody who loves Israel … can vote for Democrats,” Trump exclaimed in his recent speech in New Hampshire for his 2024 reelection.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, after condemning the terrorist attacks by Hamas, arraigned his fellow Republicans, including Vivek and Trump, as isolationist and weak. Specifically, Pence told his interviewer that “the leaders of the Republican party signal American retreat as the leader of the free world.”
“Weakness arouses evil,” stressed Pence.
In addition to expressing support and sympathy to the Israeli people, most US political leaders, particularly those who intend to run for the 2024 presidential election, emphasized that they would tackle the ongoing Israel-Hamas War differently than their political rivals. How this rhetoric will affect further activities in the region and voter dynamics remains uncertain.