During a rare speech on Thursday, President Joe Biden urged Americans to Congress to increase military aid to both Israel and Ukraine amid ongoing conflicts with Hamas and Russia, respectively.
“We’re facing an inflection point in history, one of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come,” Biden said in his address from the Oval Office.
Biden, who recently traveled to Israel, shared that he met with Israeli leaders and families of those who remain hostage under Hamas in Gaza, The Times of Israel reports.
“There is no higher priority for me than the safety of Americans held hostage,” he said. “The Jewish people know, perhaps better than anyone, that there’s no limit to the depravity of people who want to inflict pain on others in Israel.”
The president also mentioned speaking with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, stressing that the “US remains committed to the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination.”
The actions of Hamas don’t take that right away,” Biden contended.
“I’m heartbroken by the tragic loss of Palestinian life, including the explosion at the hospital in Gaza, which was not done by the Israelis,” he said, referring to the recent failed rocket launch by Hamas.
Biden also likened the Israel-Hamas war to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
“Hamas and Putin represent different threads. But they share this in common: They both want a neighboring democracy completely annihilated,” he noted.
He also noted that “Iran is supporting Russia in Ukraine, and it’s supporting Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region.
“We will continue to hold them accountable,” he asserted.
On Friday, Biden is expected to submit an urgent budget request to Congress, calling for funding for both Israel and Ukraine.
“It’s a smart investment that will pay dividends for American security for generations,” he said.
According to the Associated Press, the budget is expected to be roughly $105 billion for the next year, including $60 billion of funding for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian efforts, and $14 billion for the U.S.-Mexico border.
“American leadership holds the world together,” he said. “American alliances keep America safe. American values make us a partner they want to work with. You put all that at risk if you walk away from Ukraine and turn our backs on Israel.”
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Pool / Pool
Video Courtesy: AP via YouTube
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
READ: THE CONFLICT IN ISRAEL: WHAT CAN I DO?Immediate Humanitarian Aid Needed3 Ways to Pray for Israel5 Powerful Prayers for IsraelA Prayer against Anti-SemitismLISTEN: Special Update – Biden in Israel (#7 below)The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Salem Web Network and Salem Media Group.
