President Joe Biden found a scapegoat to blame Monday for the murder of American citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin by Hamas terrorists: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The body of the 23-year-old Goldberg-Polin, along with five Jewish citizens, was recovered Saturday in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip by Israeli Defense Forces soldiers.
On Monday, Biden returned to the White House after being on vacation at the beach for the two weeks.
The president told reporters he felt a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas is “very close.”
“Do you think it’s time for Prime Minister Netanyahu to do more on this issue? Do you think he’s doing enough?” a reporter asked.
“No,” Biden answered.
Asked if he had a message for the remaining hostages families, he replied, “I’ve spoken to the American hostage … I’ve spoken to his mom and dad, and we’re not giving up. We’re going to continue to push as hard as we can.”
Biden seemed to mean the parents of Goldberg-Polin. His not giving up must be in reference to the eight Americans citizens and others still being held hostage by Hamas.
Netanyahu addressed the allegation Monday that Israel must do more, so a deal can be reached.
“I was asked whether I am not doing enough to the release of hostages. Well, I want to set the record straight. On April 27, Secretary of State Blinken said that, ‘Israel made an extraordinary, generous offer for a hostage deal,” the prime minister recounted.
“On May 31, Israel agreed to a U.S.-backed proposal. Hamas refused. On August 16, Israel agreed to what the United States defined as a ‘final bridging proposal.’ Hamas refused again. On August 19, Secretary Blinken said, ‘Israel accepted the U.S. proposal. Now Hamas must do the same,’” Netanyahu continued.
“On August 28 — that’s five days ago, five days ago — Deputy CIA Director said that ‘Israel shows seriousness in the negotiations. Now Hamas must show the same seriousness.’ I want to ask you something. What has changed in the last five days? What has changed?” the prime minister asked.
He answered the question, “One thing: These murderers executed six of our hostages. They shot them in the back of the head. That’s what changed.”
Netanyahu wondered what message it would send to Hamas if Israel made even more concessions after the terrorist killed six hostages in cold blood.
“It says, ‘Kill more hostages. Murder more hostages, and you will get more concessions,’” he argued.
“The pressure internationally must be directed at these killers. At Hamas. Not at Israel. We say ‘yes.’ They say ‘no’ all the time, but they also murdered these people. And now we need maximum pressure on Hamas,” Netanyahu said.
That is exactly right.
The Biden administration realizes the U.S. has more direct leverage over Israel because of the military aid it provides, so it always directs its efforts at the Jewish state.
Former President Donald Trump showed how pressure can be applied against Iran and the other backers of Hamas, but the current president does not do it.
Israel has gone more than half way to try to get a deal.
Biden seems all but checked out at this point in his presidency, so he tries to take the easy way out by blaming Netanyahu and Israel for the senseless murders by Hamas.
This president consistently has tried to blame Trump for inflation, the border, and everything else under the sun that has gone wrong in his administration domestically. It makes perfect sense he’d look for a scapegoat for the chaos in the Middle East and find it in Netanyahu.
