Ben-Ghafir attacks America again: Biden administration should stop pressuring Israel
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Monday that Israelis are upset with the introduction of fuel into the Gaza Strip, as he stood by his criticism of the U.S. administration and President Joe Biden.
Ben-Gvir, who is the leader of the extremist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, said: "We appreciate America but we need to change the way we operate. "I don't underestimate the complex reality facing the Biden administration behind the scenes.
The minister continued: "America is our ally and friend, but the Biden administration should stop pressuring us to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, which ultimately goes to Hamas."
"Had Trump been in power, the behavior of the United States would have been completely different."
Itamar Ben-Gvir
Israel's national security minister.
Ben-Gvir, who asked the Biden administration to stop pressuring Israel, did not hesitate to resort to a similar tactic to pressure the current administration, by creating a comparison between Biden and his election rival, saying: "If Trump were in power, the behavior of the United States would be completely different."
In his talk, Ben-Gvir tried to focus on what Biden, who is preparing to face Trump in the 2024 presidential race, fears most, emphasizing that the Biden administration "harms Israel's war effort" and that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump "will give Israel more freedom to eliminate Hamas."
His remarks drew criticism from Benny Gantz, a retired general and member of Netanyahu's war cabinet, who said Ben-Gvir was "causing tremendous damage" to US-Israeli relations.
Gantz continued: "It's okay to have disagreements, even with our biggest and most important ally (the United States), but it must be done in the appropriate framework, not through irresponsible statements in the media."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, also posting on X, said Ben-Gvir's remarks prove that he "doesn't understand foreign relations."
"Encouraging Gazans to voluntarily migrate to places around the world through financial incentives is the real humanitarian solution," he said.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced Ben-Ghafir's remarks as "racist" and called for international sanctions against him, saying they threaten the stability of the region.
"Prime Minister, I know you are at a crossroads today. You can and must make a choice, and I hope the Prime Minister of Israel decides and chooses the path of Otzma Yehudit (his party), not the path of Lapid and Gantz."
(Source: Euronews)
