US Democratic politicians and commentators have heaped reward on President Joe Biden since he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Sunday.
Rep. Maxine Waters, for instance, referred to as Biden a “sort and first rate man.” In the meantime, former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised his “imaginative and prescient, values and management.”
But at the same time as political leaders heaped reward on Biden, bombs continued to fall on Gaza, killing dozens and triggering one other wave of mass displacement in Khan Younis.
For a lot of Palestinian rights advocates, the bloodbath and abuse in Gaza will decide Biden’s place within the historical past books, as the US stays staunchly supportive of Israel’s battle within the Palestinian territories.
“He shall be remembered for the tons of of hundreds of individuals killed, wounded and displaced in Gaza,” mentioned Abed Ayoub, government director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
“There was no different approach. He shall be remembered as ‘Genocide Joe.’
Thanks, President Biden! I’m considered one of your biggest supporters and I wish to be with you through the Democratic nomination. Nonetheless, you’ve got determined to resign and help Vice President Kamala Harris. You’re a sort and first rate one who…
— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) July 21, 2024
For the reason that outbreak of Israel’s battle in Gaza on October 7, Biden has offered unconditional navy and diplomatic help to the federal government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Solely as soon as did Biden withhold a cargo of bombs destined for Israel over humanitarian considerations — and even then, he launched a part of the cargo months later underneath strain from Netanyahu.
In the meantime, Israel’s battle has killed almost 39,000 Palestinians, displaced tons of of hundreds, exacerbated a man-made starvation disaster and destroyed giant swaths of territory. UN consultants and different observers have warned of a “threat of genocide” in Gaza.
Ayoub informed Al Jazeera that regardless of Biden’s achievements at dwelling, his unconditional help for Israel will rank among the many worst presidents in American historical past.
America Marketing campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) responded to the feedback. “Nothing can erase the truth that Biden’s legacy is – and at all times shall be – genocide,” the group mentioned in an announcement.
Netanyahu’s “bear hug”
The US president has been a staunch supporter of Israel all through his decades-long political profession.
He typically calls himself a Zionist and believes that Jews around the globe should not protected with out Israel.
He included this worldview into coverage throughout his presidency and promoted the pro-Israelism of former President Trump. Biden has saved the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem and refused to reverse a Trump-era determination recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
He has additionally actively pursued formal relations between Israel and Arab states, a purpose Trump set out within the 2020 Abraham Accords.
Nonetheless, normalization efforts have made little progress towards recognizing an impartial Palestinian state or eliminating systemic anti-Palestinian discrimination.
The outbreak of the Gaza battle additional highlighted Biden’s pro-Israel insurance policies.
Weeks after the battle started, Biden traveled to Israel and publicly embraced Netanyahu in what many critics referred to as a “bear hug.”
The signal of goodwill was broadly seen as a nod to Netanyahu’s response in Gaza after the Palestinian group Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7.
Even early within the battle, human rights teams accused Israel of committing horrific violations that reached genocidal proportions and had been aimed toward destroying the Palestinian individuals.
The Israeli navy mentioned that within the first week alone, it launched 2,000 assaults within the Gaza hall, which is concerning the dimension of Las Vegas.
Biden has since licensed continued arms transfers and greater than $14 billion in further support to maintain Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Moreover, his authorities vetoed three UN Safety Council proposals calling for a ceasefire.
Hatem Abudayyeh, president of the US Palestinian Group Community (USPCN), mentioned Biden can be remembered in the beginning for enabling Israel’s “crimes in opposition to humanity.”
“He may have turned off the faucets of cash and weapons in October, however he allowed this genocide to occur. He was complicit and that is what shall be written on his tombstone,” Abudayeh informed Al Jazeera.
Biden and the Palestinians
After coming into politics in 1970, Biden rapidly rose from native to nationwide recognition, and efficiently launched a darkish horse marketing campaign in 1972 to characterize Delaware within the U.S. Senate.
After serving in Congress for almost 4 many years, he turned vp underneath Barack Obama and received the presidency himself in 2021.
The president doesn’t come from a political dynasty, neither is he a fantastic orator. His political success is commonly attributed to his individuals abilities and skill to precise empathy.
Nonetheless, activists say this compassion has by no means been prolonged to Palestinians.
“For 9 and a half months, President Biden has financed and armed Israel’s brutal genocide in opposition to Palestinians in Gaza, making the U.S. authorities instantly complicit within the killing of at the very least 39,000 individuals, together with greater than 15,000 youngsters,” Jewish Voice for Peace Motion mentioned. in an announcement on Sunday.
“People watch in horror and rage as Biden sends weapons to the Israeli authorities, which has used them to wipe out complete generations of Palestinian households, destroying hospitals, bakeries, faculties, mosques, church buildings, universities, refugee camps, Dwelling and all the well being care amenities in Gaza.
Coverage apart, Biden’s rhetoric has at occasions appeared dismissive of Israeli atrocities and Palestinian struggling.
“I do not know what the Palestinians are telling the reality about how many individuals have been killed. I’m satisfied that harmless individuals have been killed and that’s the worth of waging battle,” the US president mentioned in October.
However this stance has created issues for Biden at dwelling and overseas.
Even earlier than Biden’s disastrous debate efficiency on June 27, the 81-year-old Biden was beginning to path his Republican rival Trump in polls.
Elements of the Democratic base — together with younger individuals, progressives, Arabs and Muslims — have expressed frustration and anger over his help for Israel.
Organizations such because the Communist Get together of America consider that Biden’s age and debate efficiency are simply one of many strain elements forcing him to withdraw from the presidential race.
“Biden’s debate failure doesn’t point out that he’s unfit to guide,” USCPR mentioned. “He launched tens of hundreds of bombs to kill Palestinian households. This was his callous, dystopian disregard for Palestinian life.
Different commentators additionally consider that Biden has failed to point out sufficient concern for the continuing humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
Aaron David Miller, a former senior U.S. official, described the scenario bluntly in an interview with The New Yorker in April.
“Do I believe Joe Biden has as a lot affection and empathy for the Palestinians in Gaza as he does for the Israelis? No, he would not and he would not talk that. I do not assume there’s any doubt about that,” He mentioned.
