U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview on the CBS network's 60 Minutes that Israel "must" eliminate Hamas - but stressed that he is opposed to Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip.
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The full interview, from which excerpts have so far been published, was broadcast Sunday night and mostly dealt with the war in Israel. During the interview, Biden said that there is no need for his country to send U.S. soldiers to the latest Mideast war, adding that "Israel has one of the finest fighting forces in the country. I guarantee we're gonna provide them everything they need."
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US President Joe Biden has offered Israel his full-throated support
(Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
When asked about the need for a humanitarian corridor that would allow aid to enter the Gaza Strip, he replied, "our team is talking to them (Israel) about that. And-- whether there could be a safe zone. We're also talking to the Egyptians-- whether there is an outlet to get these children and women out of that area at this moment. But it's hard."
The American president also clarified that "Israel is going to act under the rules of war." According to Biden "There's standards that democratic institutions and countries go by. And so I'm confident that there's gonna be an ability for the innocents in Gaza to be able to have access to medicine and food and water."
Biden also added that the threat of terrorism across the United States has increased since the surprise attack by Hamas, which led to the current war. He said he met with the FBI and Homeland Security, and explained that there is a "combined effort" to prevent attacks in synagogues or against Jews on the streets of U.S. cities.
Interviewer Scott Pelley pointed out to Biden the battles going on with Hezbollah on the northern border and asked him what his message was to Hezbollah and Iran. Biden replied, as he said in a speech in support of Israel last week, "Don't. Don't, don't, don't."
When asked if he meant that they should not cross the border and not escalate the war, Biden replied, "That's right." However, the American president said that "there is no clear evidence" that Iran was involved in Hamas' murderous attack, even though it "continually supports Hamas and Hezbollah."
Biden added that he believes Israel must "eliminate Hamas completely" - but noted that " there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state." However, when asked if Israel should continue to strive for a two-state solution now even after the attack, he replied in the negative. "Not now, not now," he said. "Not now, but I think Israel understands that a significant portion of Palestinian people do not share the views of Hamas and Hezbollah."
Biden noted "I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again. But going in and taking out the extremists - the Hezbollah up north and Hamas down south – is a necessary requirement." It does not seem that he meant that Israel should do this in the current war.
The American president was also asked in the interview what Israel means to him, and why he reacted in such an emotional way to what happened in the Hamas surprise attack on October 7. He replied, "The Jews have been subject to abuse, prejudice, and attempt to wipe them out for, oh, God, over a thousand years. For me, it's about decency, respect, honor. It's just simply wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. It violates every religious principle I have and every single principle my father taught me."
Biden was also asked if now when there are many dead in the Gaza Strip as a result of IDF attacks, it is time for a cease-fire. He replied that there is a "fundamental difference" between the IDF and Hamas terrorists.
"Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust. And so I think Israel has to respond. They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They're hiding behind the civilians. They put their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like. The Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians."