Biden embraces Zionist identity, highlights support for Palestinians
Shafaq News/ OnFriday, US President Joe Biden said that he considers himself “a Zionist” who “hasdone more for the Palestinian community than anybody,” while calling for providing more aid to theGaza Strip.
In a taped interview with ComplexNetworks’ Speedy Morman on “360 with Speedy,” Biden said he was “1,000%”committed to staying in the 2024 race”, despiteconcerns about his “mental fitness” after a poor debate performance last month.
The interview was filmed on Friday,just before the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, andpublished on Monday.
During the interview, Bidenaddressed the Gaza conflict after weeks of interviews mainly scrutinizing hisage and ability to lead following his “shaky” CNN debate performance onJune 27.
Asked whether he is a Zionist,Biden answered "yes," as he has consistently describedhimself as one, before and after October 7, adding, “You don’t have to be a Jewto be a Zionist, and a Zionist is about whether or not Israel isa safe haven for Jews because of their history of how they’ve been persecuted.”
“Now, you’ll be able to make a lotof that because different people don’t know what a Zionist is,” he confirmed.
Progressives in the Democratic Partyurged Biden to publicly express more sympathy for Palestinians amid months ofIsraeli bombings in Gaza, where American-made munitions were used and tens ofthousands have been killed.
In this context, Biden praised his efforts to deliver aid to the GazaStrip, “I’m the guy that opened up all the assets. I’m the guy that madesure that – I got the Egyptians to open the border to let goods through,medicine and food,” emphasizing, “I have been very supportive of thePalestinians, but Hamas, they’re a bunch of thugs.”
Notably, Israel has killed over38,000 Palestinians in Gaza, predominantly women and children, and injured87,000 more, per Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Much of the enclave isdestroyed, displacing most of its 2.3 million residents. The conflict hassparked hunger and allegations of genocide, which Israel denies.
Before the attempt on Trump’s life,the 2024 race primarily focused on whether Biden could withstand seriousquestions from his party about his “mental fitness.”
Asked again if he was committed tostaying on the ballot, Biden responded: “Unless I get hit by a train, yeah.”
