President Biden delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday and claimed that he was working to bring a “greater measure of peace and stability to the Middle East” even though his administration continues to provide full-throated support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and its escalations in Lebanon.
Biden acknowledged that “innocent civilians” in Gaza are “going through hell,” a situation he helped create by providing a constant flow of weapons to Israel since October 7, 2023. An Israeli Air Force official recently said that without US support, Israel could only sustain military operations in Gaza for a few months.
The president said it was time for Hamas and Israel to finalize the terms of a hostage and ceasefire deal, but US officials have admitted that there’s no chance of an agreement before Biden’s term ends on January 20, 2025. Biden could force Israel to accept a deal by withholding military aid, but there’s no sign he’s willing to take that step.
Discussing the situation between Israel and Hezbollah, Biden said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible.” His comments came a day after Israel launched a massive bombardment against southern and eastern Lebanon, killing over 500 people, mostly civilians.
Biden claimed that his administration is “working tirelessly” to achieve a diplomatic solution between Israel and Hezbollah. But the US backed the latest Israeli escalation and is deploying more troops to the Middle East as a show of support. US military aid and promises to defend Israel in the event of a major regional war have emboldened Israel to escalate in Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed disappointment with Biden’s comments about Lebanon and said the US was the only country that could stop the escalations. “It was not strong. It is not promising and it would not solve this problem,” Bou Habib said. “I (am) still hoping. The United States is the only country that can really make a difference in the Middle East and with regard to Lebanon.”
In his address, Biden also called for countries to stop arming the opposing sides in the war in Sudan. “The world needs to stop arming the generals, to speak with one voice and tell them: Stop tearing your country apart. Stop blocking aid to the Sudanese people. End this war now,” he said.
A day earlier, the Biden administration named the UAE a “major defense partner” as Abu Dhabi is funneling weapons into Sudan to arm the Rapid Support Forces and fuel the war. The designation will give the UAE access to more sophisticated US weapons and military technology.
