What the US President Said and Didn’t Say at the Israeli Parliament
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. The US president recently visited the Israeli parliament and was warmly received, with many applauses and cheers. There was a brief protest by one person, who was quickly removed, leading to more laughter and applause from the crowd. His speech was typical of his style, with many off-topic remarks, though he avoided some of his usual odd tangents.
I thought that since he was headed next to a summit in Egypt about Gaza, he might stay focused, but that wasn’t the case. He spent some time wondering if other leaders might have already left by the time he arrived.
This visit happened shortly after a pause in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have tragically lost their lives over the past couple of years. Sadly, the suffering of the Palestinian people was barely mentioned during the event, which felt more like a mutual praise session between the US president and the Israeli prime minister, celebrating Israel’s military actions.
He told Israel “you’ve won” and congratulated the prime minister on a “great job,” even boasting about supplying Israel with weapons and praising how they were used. There were also references to his past claims about ending long-standing conflicts, though these claims seem exaggerated.
In addition to praising himself, he applauded members of his team, including his Middle East envoy and his son-in-law, who played a big role in the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries. These agreements have been criticized for sidelining the Palestinian cause.
The president spoke positively about these deals, saying the countries involved have gained financially. But expanding these agreements now could further harm the Palestinians’ situation, as Gaza’s remaining residents face continued hardship under what is being called a “Board of Peace,” a term the president praised.
This, according to him, is what will help Palestinians move away from violence, despite the ongoing suffering they face.
Before the US president spoke, the Israeli prime minister thanked him for his “leadership” in ending a war he reportedly did not want to end, calling him Israel’s greatest friend in the White House. He even promised awards in recognition.
Listening to the speeches was difficult, and one could only hope for mercy. When the US president concluded, he declared his love and full support for Israel. While this is not surprising given US policy, it reminds us that what is called “peace” here is far from justice or true reconciliation.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opin