President Joe Biden, who has pledged support for Israel amid the country’s ongoing war with Hamas that has left more than 37,000 Palestinians dead, claimed in a recent interview that he’s “the guy that did more for the Palestinian community than anybody.”

The president also defended his support for the Israel — his administration approved a bill to provide $26 billion in additional wartime aid to the country in April — and called himself a Zionist. “If there weren’t an Israel, every Jew in the world would be at risk,” said Biden. “And so there’s a need for it to be strong.” He added, “By the way, I’m the guy that did more for the Palestinian community than anybody. I’m the guy that opened up all the assets. I’m the guy that made sure that – I got the Egyptians to open the border to let goods through, medicine, and food,” Biden said. “I have been very supportive of the Palestinians, but Hamas, they’re a bunch of thugs.”

  • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    29
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    4 months ago

    “If there weren’t an Israel, every Jew in the world would be at risk,”

    Does this make sense to anyone else? I can’t logically connect the existence of Israel to the safety of Jews everywhere. Does he think if Israel existed in the 1930s the Holocaust wouldn’t have happened? Why?

    • Iceblade@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      17
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      4 months ago

      It likely would’ve been a lot less severe at the very least. As many as 300’000 German jews were waiting for US visas at the dawn of WW2. Immigration restrictions meant that the vast majority of them would be unable to flee the Nazi regime.

      There are infamous tales of ships such as the M.S St. Louis or SS. Drottningholm each carrying hundreds of refugees being forced to return across the Atlantic.

      That’s not to dunk on the US. They were the single largest recipient of refugees (almost 100k). Next after was British Mandatory Palestine (60k) and then the UK itself (40k).

      The fact of the matter is that millions of jews wanted to flee the oncoming storm, but noone would have them, and rather than be sheltered by their communities, protected, they were turned over to be slaughtered.

      Even in the aftermath of the war, many of the home countries of concentration camp survivors refused to take them back. Jews now under communist regime would end up being subjected to further persecution.


      I’ll highlight something else. The past decade has seen a shocking resurgence of antisemitism in Europe, and contributed to a significant exodus that started in the early 2010s. At least where I live, the jewish community is all but gone, and I myself probably wouldn’t remain if I wasn’t fine with hiding my jewish heritage.

      • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        7
        ·
        edit-2
        4 months ago

        Far more went to Palestine according to even the israeli sources. From 84k in 1922 , to 449k in 1939 and after that a million colonists or so every 10 years.

        Ultimately it would not solve much as the majority of Hitlers victims were not Jews but Slavs. So now we’d have to find a home for those 20 million Eastern European people as well so Hitler wouldn’t Genocide them. Move everyone in that Hitler didn’t like to colonize Africa or the Middle east and Genocide the natives there. All problems solved as long as you don’t consider brown and black people as humans and steal their land. Sprinkle some irony on top.

        Israel is literally the least safe place in the world for “Jews” right now. Jews are perfectly safe in America and Europe.

          • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            4 months ago

            If there wasn’t an israel no Palestinian would be Genocided right now. And that’s a real fact.

        • WamGams@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          4 months ago

          Slavs were killed in battle.

          This comment is getting dangerously close to holocause denialism.

        • Iceblade@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          4 months ago

          Your source lines up rather well with the knowledge that I based this on - some 60k refugees into the Mandate '36-'39. After the end of the war it was mostly survivors after the holocaust and later on refugees from various regions such as the middle-east and the USSR/Russia, both of which persecute(d) and have huge problems with antisemitism to this day.

          Won’t elaborate on other persecuted peoples since the OP asked about Israel and jews specifically, but there’s certainly an argument to be made that cultural groups without or outside of an autonomous homeland are more exposed than others.

          Can’t speak for the Americas, but where I live right now certainly isn’t “perfectly safe” for jews. The closest synagogue to where I live is attacked pretty much on an annual basis, and the one jewish school in my country has to have round-the-clock armed guards. The only thing keeping me “safe” is that this part of my heritage isn’t publicly known. As mentioned in my previous comment, I would have left if I wasn’t fine with hiding/suppressing that part of my identity.

          I’d strongly recommend educating yourself a bit on the subject before commenting further.

          • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            edit-2
            4 months ago

            Persecution of Jews in WW2 Germany started before 1936. The Holocaust start date was 1933. You’re casually leaving out the 150K that went to Palestine from 1931 to 1936.

            Jews being suppressed in whatever country you’re in is bad but I’m going to guess you’re not in America. Other countries also have problems suppressing other ethnic groups that’s not a Jews specific thing. Creating an Ethnostate by Genociding natives is proven to not solve this safety issue as we can see in Palestine right now. Jews are far safer in America than in israel which really begs the question why israel needs to exist.

            But if you think ethnically cleansing a land to create a “safe space” is a solution, then remember that all Hitler wanted to do was to "create a safe space for his Ubermensch"as well.

            • Iceblade@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              4 months ago

              You’re casually leaving out the 150K that went to Palestine from 1931 to 1936.

              I’m not a walking history book, and my time is limited. Besides, these people were coming from many places, not just Germany. If you (or anyone else for that matter) wants to explore the topic further there are plenty of books out there.

              Jews are far safer in America than in israel which really begs the question why Israel needs to exist.

              Because it already exists, and the people live there, call it home, and have done so for generations. They have a right to defend its existence. The same can be asked for the Palestinian Territories, or most other homelands of persecuted peoples. There are other, safer places, but this is their home.

              I would also mention that recent events have highlighted that the US really can’t be counted on being/remaining safe, for people in general. Your political system is fucked up, is taking away basic rights from people, and political violence is on the rise.

              Israel ceasing would in all likelihood mean genocide. Given the actions of Hamas on October 7th, there would be not tens of thousands of dead if the state of Israel “just stopped existing”, but hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dead. Even if the state was gone, the people it was protecting would still be there.

              There needs to be peace, for all involved. That is what I think, not more, not less.

              I also won’t deign you any further replies, given how you don’t seem interested in civil discussion, but rather strawmen and drawing warped parallells where there are none.

              • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                2
                ·
                4 months ago

                You are indeed not a walking history book. It’s one Hasbara after the next. Clearly you have been fully unable to learn anything about what israel is during the last 9 months of Genocide and are fully unwilling to do so.

  • retrospectology@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    4 months ago

    This is why people don’t care about him getting up on stage and rattling off a bunch of progressive policies. This is a massive display of deep dishonesty, why on earth would anyone believe he would do anything he says when he can’t even face the truth about his role in the Gaza genocide?

  • A'random Guy@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    15
    ·
    4 months ago

    We should never send the un another dime. The unwra should be disbanded. I thought you guys were up to 200k innocent women and children massacred in an ongoing holocaust?

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    4 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    During a conversation with Chris “Speedy” Morman for Complex, Biden addressed growing concerns over his age following a blundering debate performance, his controversial support for Israel’s war in Gaza, and why he appeals to Black voters and other minority communities.

    The interview was filmed in Detroit, Michigan, a day before the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

    Despite a growing call by lawmakers, donors, celebrities, and prominent media figures for the 81-year-old president to step aside for a younger, more formidable Democrat candidate to take on Trump in 2024 election, Biden reiterated that he was staying in the race.

    The president also defended his support for the Israel — his administration approved a bill to provide $26 billion in additional wartime aid to the country in April — and called himself a Zionist.

    Last week, the United Nations declared that “famine has spread across the entire Gaza strip,” according to its experts.

    Following what the FBI called an assassination attempt on Trump at his Pennsylvania rally, Biden addressed the nation on Sunday night.


    The original article contains 486 words, the summary contains 171 words. Saved 65%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • zerog_bandit@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      4 months ago

      Please, PLEASE vote for the orange man. I guarantee brown people are at the top of his priorities.

      • EmpireInDecay@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        4 months ago

        Trump hasn’t earned my vote either. Even if he tried I know it would be hollow and full of lies. Exactly the same thing Biden does

    • crusa187@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      Sure, in braindead neolib world, they hope to win elections by emulating republicans to win over right wing moderates.

      Truly hilarious.

  • That_Devil_Girl@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    40
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    4 months ago

    He’s done more for the Palestinian community than anybody.

    Whoops. Let me fix that typo for you:

    He’s done more to the Palestinian community than anybody.

  • unmagical@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    22
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    4 months ago

    I don’t know man, I arranged a couple thousand USD donation for Palestinian aid groups. You not only defunded UNRWA, but continue to send bombs over to the group doing the most TO them while perpetuating policies that require additional aid to be sent in the first place. Not to mention the actual people on the ground who were providing the aid.

    • TheStar@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      Weren’t there some issues with a few UNRWA staff helping hamas? As much as I’d like to support relief efforts, that is a red flag.

      • unmagical@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        4 months ago

        There were not. Israel has alleged as such but never produced evidence. Given that any host country (and de facto governments) is made aware of the identity and role of UNRWA employees in their country Israel had plenty of insight and opportunity to object. They didn’t for years. Nevertheless the employees that allegedly were providing aid to Hamas were immediately fired.