Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, has affirmed massive support by the United States for the Israeli government, declaring that Palestinian group, Hamas, would be defeated like Islamic State (ISIS).
Blinken, who recounted his Jewish ancestry, said this after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at Kirya, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Decrying the killings of Israeli Jews by Hamas fighters, Blinken said: “This was just one of Hamas’ countless acts of terror in a litany of brutality and inhumanity that, yes, brings to mind the worst of ISIS. Babies slaughtered. Bodies desecrated. Young people burned alive. Women raped.
“Parents executed in front of their children, children in front of their parents. How are we even to understand this, to digest this? And yet, at the same time, at the same time that we’ve been shocked by the depravity of Hamas.”
The U.S. Secretary urged anyone who wants peace and justice to condemn Hamas, saying: “We know Hamas doesn’t represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations to live with equal measures of security, freedom, justice, opportunity, and dignity.”
He lauded Israeli citizens for bravery in defending their harmless citizens, commending “the grandfather, who drove over an hour to a kibbutz under siege, armed only with a pistol, and rescued his kids and grandkids,” among others.
“You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there, by your side. That’s the message that President Biden delivered to the prime minister from the moment this crisis began.
“It’s the message that I and my other colleagues in the government have delivered to our Israeli counterparts on a daily, even an hourly basis. It’s the message that I bring with me to our discussions today, and it’s what I’ll affirm when I meet with the members of Israel’s newly formed national emergency government. We welcome the government’s creation and the unity and resolve that it reflects across Israel’s society.”
He reiterated the warning by U.S. President Joe Biden “to any adversary, state or non-state, thinking of taking advantage of the current crisis to attack Israel: Don’t! The United States has Israel’s back.”
Netanyahu appreciated the American government for its support in fighting terrorism, lamenting that Hamas has shown itself as an enemy of civilisation.
