Dem Rep. Beyer: Biden Has ‘Very Different’ Israel Stance than in November

On Friday’s broadcast of “CNN This Morning,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) stated that the American position on the Israel-Hamas conflict is “very different from where we were in October and early November,” and “we see this just in the U.S. abstention from the U.N. resolution on a ceasefire. We’d vetoed it two or three times before. So, I think we’re moving in the direction of trying to put more pressure on Netanyahu to wage this war in a much more sensible way.”

Host Kasie Hunt asked, “Congressman, the other sort of news we’re grappling with this morning, this major fundraiser that President Biden held in New York City with two former presidents, he was repeatedly interrupted by protesters who are upset about his conduct [with] the war in Gaza. President Obama actually encouraged — seemed to encourage the crowd to listen to what they had to say in that context. Do you think President Biden is striking the right balance between supporting Israel and speaking up for the humanitarian concerns in Gaza?”

Beyer responded, “I do think so. It’s been a journey. We’re very different from where we were in October and early November, but as the civilian casualties continue to mount in Gaza, as the hunger has gotten worse, and as we continue to be ever more dismayed about the way Netanyahu is waging this war, I think he’s trying to get it right. And we see this just in the U.S. abstention from the U.N. resolution on a ceasefire. We’d vetoed it two or three times before. So, I think we’re moving in the direction of trying to put more pressure on Netanyahu to wage this war in a much more sensible way.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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