Former President Donald Trump has called for expanding the travel ban to include potential refugees from Gaza, while President Joe Biden is set to travel to Israel to show support for the U.S. ally and has authorized $735 million in emergency funding. Biden is also working to restore the U.S.’s relationship with the Middle East and rebuild ties with allies in the region, as well as address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Posts tagged as “the Middle East”
The Biden administration is deploying more military power to the eastern Mediterranean in response to the escalating conflict in the region. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. is working to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Hamas and is working with other countries in the region to try to bring about a lasting peace. The U.S. is also focused on ensuring the safe passage of Palestinian-Americans out of Gaza.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is engaging in Middle East diplomacy to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip and Israel. He has met with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and is now in the United Arab Emirates, speaking with world leaders and the United Nations Secretary-General to find a lasting solution to the conflict.
Oil prices have surged in response to the looming Israeli ground assault on Gaza, with the Biden administration warning Israeli counterparts to show restraint and avoid mass civilian casualties. The US has also tightened sanctions on major crude-producing countries, further stoking market fears over a drop in supply as demand increases. President Biden has called Hamas' actions "pure evil" and urged all sides to de-escalate the situation and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
On Thursday, French police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse a pro-Palestinian rally in Paris, after the country's interior minister imposed a ban on such events. The conflict in the Middle East has been escalating, with the Israeli Defense Forces warning people not to return to their homes in the Gaza Strip. The rally was a show of solidarity with those affected by the conflict, but the French authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate any public displays of support for Palestinians.
President Biden held a conference call with the families of 14 Americans believed to be held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, expressing his condolences and assuring them that the US government is doing all it can to locate and bring home their loved ones. The Biden administration has been working to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and this call is seen as a sign of the president's commitment to the families of the hostages and his commitment to ensuring the safe return of their loved ones.
Republican presidential candidates have accused the Biden administration of being weak on terrorism and partly responsible for the recent attacks by Hamas against Israel, citing the unfreezing of $6 billion in oil revenue as part of a prisoner exchange with Iran. Secretary Blinken has denied the accusations and defended the administration's foreign policy, calling for a de-escalation of tensions and a return to a path towards peace.
Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) expressed concern over the lack of an elected speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives, noting that it is an unprecedented moment that adds urgency to an already challenging week for fractured House Republicans. McCaul believes it is essential for the House to appoint a speaker in order to send a strong message to U.S. rivals and to effectively respond to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.