A cease-fire in Israel’s war with Hamas “is not peace,” said US President Joe Biden, stressing that an important key to lasting stability is the restoration of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to they will be governed under “a revitalized Palestinian Authority. .”
In an op-ed published Saturday in the Washington Post, Biden reiterated his stance from recent weeks that a temporary suspension of combat is not a real possibility and will not ultimately lead to more you many goals of the US. However, the president and senior US officials are continuing talks to work towards a two-state solution for the governance of Gaza.
Biden took advantage of the article to provide more details on what the process would look like to move toward a central mayor.
“As we fight for peace, Gaza and the West Bank must come together under a governance structure, fundamentally under a renewed Palestinian Authority, as well as work towards a solution in both states,” Biden wrote. “I made it clear to the Israeli authorities that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and those who commit acts of violence must be held accountable.”
“The United States is prepared to take our own measures, including banning visas against extremists who attack civilians in the West Bank,” he added.
The United States is providing weapons and intelligence support to Israel as it launches an offensive in Gaza aimed at eliminating Hamas after the October 7 attack, which killed more than 1,200 people. Biden has spoken several times with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said he is working for the release of hostages held by Hamas, including some Americans.
At least 11,400 Palestinians have died since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, without distinguishing between civilian and militant deaths.
Protesters demanding a cease-fire in Gaza have staged protests across the country, including clashes this week with police outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Commission. Former campaign staffers who helped elect Biden in 2020, as well as current members of his administration, signed letters calling for a ceasefire. In the article, Biden explains why he opposes the idea.
“As long as Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a ceasefire is not peace,” he wrote. “For the members of Hamas, every ceasefire is the time they use to replenish their rocket reserves, reposition fighters, and continue the massacre by attacking innocents again. “
