On Wednesday’s broadcast of Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) responded to a question on confusion about the Biden administration’s Israel policy by stating that he’s “not surprised at all that our policy might change from day to day.”
Co-host Kailey Leinz asked, “Well, sir, as we consider what we have seen from the President over the last several weeks, it does seem that there has been some oscillation, if you will, in terms of policy. Do you have clarity on what this administration’s policy stance is when it comes to Israel right now? Can you define it for us? Because it seems a lot of people are confused.”
Bennet answered, “I’d like to take a crack at that. I’m obviously not the administration. From my perspective, he understands very well that Israel has a — is our ally in the Middle East, our most important ally. He understands, very clearly, the threat that Iran poses, not to Israel, but to our other allies in the region like Saudi Arabia and like Jordan. He knows that the Israeli people were attacked by Hamas, a death cult, and that 1,200 Israeli citizens were killed, and that, today, as we are talking, there are hostages that are American citizens and Israelis being held. He knows that, in the wake of that attack, it was important for the United States to be able to pass through Congress $11 billion of assistance, much of which is for Iron Dome and David’s Sling, but some of which is for offensive weapons that can be used in…Gaza. And he knows that he said to the prime minister of Israel that he believes that he should not go into Rafah without a plan, and he knows further that the prime minister of Israel has not given the world a plan. And I think what the President of the United States is trying to do is to support Israel and the people of Israel in their battle against these terrorists in a way that will help prevent unnecessary civilian casualties from happening as a result of more action by the prime minister of Israel. That is a tough challenge that we as a nation have to confront. It’s a tough challenge that Israel has to confront, the world has to confront.”
He continued, “And I think there’s a reason why sometimes people say there are no prophets in our time when it comes to the Middle East, because everybody who becomes an expert all of a sudden about the most complicated region of the world. But these are questions and decisions that can’t be decided every 15 minutes and I’m not surprised at all that our policy might change from day to day. I know the President is, as I am, deeply concerned about the number of civilian casualties that there have been in…Gaza. And I know that he is deeply concerned that Israel, not just has the right, but has the obligation to defend herself against a death cult that has attacked them. And I can keep both those ideas in my mind at the same time and I’m sure the President can as well.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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