5 Takeaways from President Biden’s Visit to Israel

1. Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, West Bank

President Joe Biden's visit to Israel primarily aimed to demonstrate support for Israel's efforts in response to attacks by Hamas, yet during his visit, it was announced Biden announced an aid package of $100 million for Ukraine and the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

2. No De-Escalation

Israel’s declaration of war against Hamas has had a clear goal of diminishing Hamas. The fear by many, was that President Biden would try to de-escalate Israel’s retaliatory efforts, pressuring the Israelis to stop short of their intended mission of decimating Hamas terrorists. President Biden, while expressing support with the people of Israel and validating their right to defend themselves, did not publicly attempt to deescalate or call for a ceasefire.

3. No Freeing of the Hostages

Many believed that both Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Biden’s trips to Israel would mean that there is some tactical plan in place to help get the hostages back, particularly as there are American hostages among the 199 confirmed hostages held by Hamas.

4. Outcry from the International Community

Following the visit, left-wing politicians, organizations, and intellectuals have stoked outcry against the Jewish state for its military response and blamed Biden for the trip and for siding with Israel regarding the bombing of the hospital. The hashtag #GenocideJoe was even trending for a good portion of the day on Twitter.

5. No Regional Cooperation

President Biden's visit was accompanied by diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who made his trip days before President Biden, received cold responses from both the Saudis and Egyptians. On the eve of President Biden’s arrival, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan canceled their meetings with the President. Both Egypt and Jordan have said they will not get involved in helping the Palestinians or allowing for refugees to enter their borders.