Biden is facing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans due to the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine in the region that saw a Hamas rocket attack take aim at Jerusalem.
Lawmakers from both political parties have taken aim at Biden and his administration due to the growing violence in Israel and Palestine. They are calling out Biden on the violence in the region for different reasons.
Republican Senator Bill Hagerty is demanding the Biden administration to “strongly condemn” Hamas.” Hamas is the Palestinian terror group that recently launched rocket launches at Jerusalem while the city was celebrating Jerusalem Day last Monday.
Hagerty tweeted, “The Biden Administration should strongly condemn Hamas and other terrorists that are exploiting tensions in Jerusalem to carry out rocket attacks against innocent civilians.” He added, “The United States should unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend its citizens.”
Another Republican lawmaker based Biden, Rep. Michael Waltz a member of the House Armed Services Committee. On Monday, he told Fox News that the “actual actions” of the administration are “incredibly unhelpful” even though their talk “sounds good.”
Biden authorized $235 million in funding to Palestinians one month before Hamas' attacks on Israel https://t.co/aFG6BgZbxr
— Petrol Smuggler Poso (@JackPosobiec) May 12, 2021
Waltz said, “They’ve given away all leverage right up front, and we’re seeing this is a theme with the Biden administration in terms of handing out cash hoping it fixes the situation.” He added, “So they’ve already agreed to give hundreds of millions of dollars without any conditions.”
In addition to this, the congressman also emphasized that the Biden administration could have used the money it gave away to leverage Palestinian Authority to “denounce Hamas” or change school curriculums that paint Israel as “evil.”
Waltz also added, “And, importantly, without changing the governing situation on the ground. There’s just endemic corruption within the Palestinian government that is a real disservice to is people.” He continued, “Yet, American taxpayer dollars are going to flow back into that situation.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib who previously supported the boycott, fiercely claimed that the United States is “enabling” the violence that is happening in the region by providing Israel foreign aid. She also criticized the Biden administration for not declaring that Israel is using the aid to “commit human rights violations.”
"U.S. taxpayer dollars should not be used to commit human rights violations," Rep. Tlaib says, discussing Israel-Palestine tensions. "I have yet to hear anybody from the Biden administration declare that." https://t.co/4tEliZg91O
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 11, 2021
On Monday, Tlaib said on MSNBC, “U.S. taxpayer dollars should not be used to commit human rights violations. That needs to be said. I have yet to hear anybody from the Biden administration declare that.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki also told reporters on Monday that the Biden administration has some “serious concerns.” Psaki referred tot he readout from national security adviser, Jake Sullivan’s call with the national security adviser of Israel, Meir Ben-Shabbat.
The readout said, “Mr. Sullivan highlighted recent engagements by senior U.S. officials with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials and key regional stakeholders to press for steps to ensure calm, deescalate tensions, and denounce violence.”
“Mr. Sullivan also reiterated the United States’ serious concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood,” it continued. “They agreed that the launching of rocket attacks and incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel is unacceptable and must be condemned.”
