Biden continues allegiance to Israel, blames “the other team” over hospital bombing in Gaza despite no proof
SHAH ALAM — United States President Joe Biden has blamed “the other team” for the devastating explosion at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City early this morning that killed over 500 Palestinians.
He went on to say “not you”, in reference to the blast, as he faced Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a public address with the media upon his arrival at Tel Aviv today.
He, however, did not elaborate on what evidence led him to that conclusion.
“I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you.
“But there’s a lot of people out there who are not sure. So we have to overcome a lot of things,” he said.
According to media reports, before he left for “Israel”, a US official was quoted saying that the government had not yet drawn a conclusion about the source of the strike on the hospital.
The president,however,did instruct his national security team to continue evaluating incoming information.
Biden’s visit to the Palestinian occupied territory is a historic one – the first trip by an American president during a time of war – marking his most forceful public show of support for Israel since the Oct 7 when Hamas successfully penetrated the Palestine-Israel borders.
Over than 9,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past 11 days, while about 1,400 Israelis have died. The trip comes less than a day after the horrifying blast with Palestinian officials pointing the finger to Israel, who have since denied responsibility and pinned blame on a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Biden said it was important that he "personally come" suggesting the trip was a critical signal for "democracy" as the world watches the events unfolding in the Middle East.
“I wanted the people of Israel – the people of the world – to know where the United States stands...The world is looking. Israel has a value set like the United States does, and other democracies. And they’re looking to see what we’re going to do,” he said.
In response, Netanyahu admitted that the world was “rightfully outraged” by Tuesday’s events.
He further steered the conversation that the outrage should be directed not at Israel, but at the "terrorists". Nentanyahu even promised Biden that he "will do everything it can to keep civilians out of harm’s way" despite Israel’s continuous attacks on apartments and schools in Gaza City.
On Oct 12, Israel announced that it planned a “complete siege” on Gaza as it cut off water, fuel and electricity supply in the strip.
The Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital not only treated the many wounded in Gaza, it also sheltered people ordered by Israel to flee the north to “save themselves”. Thousands of children, women and the elderly believed they would be safe - this, unfortunately, was not the case.
