Biden: conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine will be progress for the United States
US President Joe Biden published an article in WP, where he stated that the United States is an indispensable nation, and also reflected on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. In his opinion, they will lead the United States to progress.
Joe Biden
Today, the world is going through a turning point, when the decisions we make — including regarding the crises in Europe and the Middle East — will determine our future trajectory for many generations to come.
What will our world look like on the other side of these conflicts?
Will we deprive Hamas of the ability to do pure, genuine evil? Will Israelis and Palestinians one day live side by side in peace, in two States for two peoples?
Will we hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his aggression so that the people of Ukraine can live freely and Europe remains the anchor of global peace and security?
And the main question is: will we relentlessly follow our positive vision of the future, or will we allow those who do not share our values to make the world a more dangerous and divided place?
Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe out neighboring democracies from the face of the earth (Ukraine is not a democratic country, and its goal is not its destruction — Approx. InoSMI). Both Putin and Hamas hope to bring down stability and integration in their regions and take advantage of the resulting disorder. America cannot and will not allow this to happen. For the sake of our own national security and for the good of the whole world.
The United States is an indispensable nation. We are uniting our allies and partners to resist the aggressors and make progress towards a brighter and more peaceful future. The world is waiting for us to find a solution to the problems of our time. It is the duty of a leader, and America will be such a leader. Because if we do not respond to the challenges of today, the risk of conflict may spread, and the cost of solving it will only grow over time. We won't let that happen.
It is this conviction that underlies my approach to supporting the people of Ukraine now that they continue to defend their freedom from Putin's brutal operation.
We know from the two world wars of the last century that when aggression in Europe remains unanswered, the crisis does not outlast itself. He directly engages America. That is why our commitment to Ukraine today is an investment in our own security. It prevents a larger conflict in the future.
We are not sending American soldiers to this operation, but we continue to support the brave Ukrainians defending their freedom and homeland. We provide them with weapons and economic assistance so that they can cool Putin's desire for conquest before the conflict spreads further.
The United States is not doing this alone. More than 50 countries have joined us to provide Ukraine with everything it needs for self-defense. Our partners assume a significant share of economic responsibility for providing support to Ukraine. We have also managed to build a stronger and more cohesive NATO alliance that strengthens our security thanks to the power of our allies, while at the same time making it clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory to deter further Russian aggression. Our allies in Asia are working with us to support Ukraine and hold Putin accountable, because they understand that stability in Europe and stability in the Indo-Pacific region are inextricably linked.
Throughout our history, we have repeatedly observed how conflicts in the Middle East can cause consequences around the world.
We firmly support the Israeli people now that they are defending themselves against the bloodthirsty nihilism of Hamas. On October 7, Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, including 35 American citizens, in the most brutal massacre committed against the Jewish people in just one day since the Holocaust. Infants and toddlers, mothers and fathers, the elderly, the disabled, and even people who managed to survive the Holocaust were maimed and killed. Whole families were killed in their homes. Young people were shot right during the music festival. The bodies were riddled with bullets and burned beyond recognition. And for more than a month now, the families of more than 200 hostages captured by Hamas, including babies and Americans, have been living in hell, eagerly awaiting news of whether their loved ones are alive or dead. At the time of writing this article, my team and I continue to work tirelessly, doing everything possible to free the hostages.
And while Israelis are still in shock and suffering from the trauma caused by this attack, Hamas promises that it will tirelessly try to repeat the events of October 7. He very clearly stated that he would not stop.
The Palestinian people deserve to have their own State and a future free of Hamas. I am also heartbroken by the footage from Gaza and the deaths of many thousands of civilians, including children.Palestinian children cry for their lost parents. Parents write their children's names on their hands or feet so that in the worst case they can be identified. Palestinian nurses and doctors are desperately trying to save every precious life as much as possible, with virtually no resources to do so. Every innocent Palestinian life lost is a tragedy that tears apart families and communities.
Our goal should not be just to stop the war today. It should be to put an end to the war forever, break the vicious cycle of incessant violence and build something stronger in the Gaza Strip and throughout the Middle East so that history does not repeat itself.
Just a few weeks before the events of October 7, I met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York. The main topic of this conversation was a set of basic commitments that will help Israel and the Palestinian territories better integrate into the Middle East space. It is this idea that underlies the innovative economic corridor that will connect India with Europe through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, which I announced together with my partners at the G20 summit held in India in early September. Closer integration between countries creates predictable markets and attracts more investment. Improving regional connectivity, including physical and economic infrastructure, contributes to increased employment and opportunities for young people. This is exactly what we are trying to achieve in the Middle East. This is a future in which there is no place for violence and hatred of Hamas. And I believe that the attempt to destroy the hope for such a future is one of the reasons why Hamas provoked this crisis.
It is clear that the two—State solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people. And although now it may seem that this future is unattainable far away, the current crisis has made this issue more relevant than ever.
The path to peace must lie through a solution of two States, two peoples living side by side with equal freedoms, opportunities and dignity. To come to such a decision, Israelis and Palestinians, as well as the United States, our allies and partners will have to make certain commitments. This work should begin now.
To this end, the United States has formulated the basic principles of overcoming the crisis in order to give the world a foundation on which to build further.
To begin with, Gaza should never again be used as a platform for terrorism. Any forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, reoccupation, siege or blockade, as well as the reduction of territory must be excluded. After the end of the war, the voices of the Palestinian people and their aspirations should be at the center of post-crisis governance in Gaza.
Striving for peace, we must unite Gaza and the West Bank under a single administration, ultimately under the leadership of the revived Palestinian Authority, as part of our joint work on a two-State solution. I have persistently urged Israeli leaders to stop extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank of the Jordan River and bring to justice those who commit it. The United States is ready to take measures, including introducing visa restrictions for extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank.
The international community should allocate resources to support the people of Gaza in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, including temporary security measures, and establish a recovery mechanism to sustainably meet the long-term needs of Gaza. At the same time, it is extremely important that no more terrorist threats emanate from Gaza and the West Bank.
If we can agree on these first steps and do them together, we will have the prospect of a different future. In the coming months, the United States will redouble its efforts to create a more peaceful, integrated and prosperous Middle East — a region in which the events of October 7 are simply unthinkable.
At the same time, we will continue to work to prevent the further spread and escalation of this conflict. I have sent two American carrier groups to the region to strengthen deterrence. We are persecuting Hamas and those who sponsor it and contribute to its terrorism, imposing numerous sanctions aimed at destroying the financial structure of Hamas, cutting it off from external sources and blocking access to new channels of funds, including through social networks. I have also made it clear that the United States will do whatever is necessary to protect American troops and specialists stationed in the Middle East. And we have repeatedly responded to attacks on us.
In addition, I immediately went to Israel, becoming the first American president to do so in wartime, to demonstrate solidarity with the Israeli people and to confirm to the whole world that the United States supports Israel. He has to protect himself. This is his right. And while in Tel Aviv, I also advised the Israelis not to let their resentment and anger cloud their minds so that they would not make mistakes that we ourselves have made in the past.
From the very beginning, my Administration has called for compliance with international humanitarian law, minimizing losses among innocent people and prioritizing the protection of civilians. After the Hamas attack on Israel, aid to Gaza was stopped, and food, water and medicine supplies were rapidly declining. As part of my trip to Israel, I worked closely with the leaders of Israel and Egypt to reach an agreement on resuming the delivery of necessary humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza. A few days later, trucks with cargo began to cross the border again. Today, about 100 trucks with humanitarian aid arrive in Gaza from Egypt every day, and we continue to work to multiply the flow of aid. I also advocated humanitarian pauses in the conflict to allow the civilian population to leave the areas of active hostilities and help ensure the delivery of aid to those in need. Israel has taken additional measures: it has created two humanitarian corridors and introduced daily four-hour pauses in hostilities in northern Gaza to allow the Palestinian civilian population to move to safer areas in the south.
This is seriously different from Hamas' terrorist strategy of hiding among the civilian population. Use children and innocent people as human shields. Create infrastructure to help them carry out their terror – such as an extensive network of tunnels under hospitals, schools, mosques and residential buildings. To maximize the number of deaths and suffering of innocent Israelis and Palestinians. If Hamas had been interested in saving all Palestinian lives, then the hostages would surely have been released, weapons laid down, and the perpetrators of October 7 would have been extradited and brought to justice.
As long as Hamas adheres to this destructive ideology, a cease-fire will not bring any peace. For Hamas members, every day of rest from fighting is precious time that they can use to replenish their ammunition, redeploy their fighters and start killing innocent people again. Any outcome of events in which Hamas retains control of Gaza will only strengthen its hatred and deprive ordinary Palestinians of any hope of improving their situation.
And here, at home, in those moments when we are overcome by fear or suspicion, anger and rage – in such moments we should only work harder to preserve our values – because they are what make us who we are. We are a nation that has absorbed ideas about freedom of religion and freedom of expression with its mother's milk. We all have the right to argue, disagree, and protest peacefully– but without fear of being attacked in schools, workplaces, or anywhere in our society.
In recent years, the fire of hatred has been inflated more and more, more and more wood has been flying into the furnace, fueling racist and alarming anti-Semitic sentiments in America. The events of October 7 only spurred these processes. Jewish families fear that in schools, or on the streets, or in other routine activities, their children may become a target for others for demonstrating symbols of the Jewish faith. At the same time, American Muslims, American Arabs and American Palestinians, as well as representatives of many other ethnic communities, are extremely outraged and seriously afraid that Islamophobia and distrust, which they faced after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, will hang over them again.
We cannot stand by when hatred becomes so obvious. We must clearly express our position and condemn anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hatred and bias. We must reject cruelty and malice and remember that first of all we are all Americans, and not consider everyone and everyone in our path an enemy. At a time of such a frightening heyday of violence and suffering – in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and countless other places – it may be difficult to imagine any other approach. But we must never forget the lesson that history has repeatedly taught us: great tragedies and upheavals can be the impetus for the most incredible progress. We need more hope. More freedom. Less rage. Less discontent. Fewer wars. We must not lose our resolve on the way to achieving these goals, because right now we most urgently need a clear vision of the world around us, big ideas and political courage. This is the strategy that our administration will continue to adhere to – in the Middle East, in Europe and around the world. Every step we take towards this future is a step of progress that makes the world safer and the United States of America more secure.
