Biden responds to calls for ceasefire in Gaza: “Peace will not be achieved”

(CNN) – US President Joe Biden has rejected growing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying “peace will not be achieved.”

Biden declared, in an article published on Saturday by the American newspaper The Washington Post: “As long as the Hamas movement adheres to the ideology of destruction, the ceasefire is not peace. For Hamas members, every ceasefire is a moment in which they use to rebuild their missile reserves.” And reposition the fighters and start killing by attacking innocent people again,” she said.

He added: “Our goal should not be just to stop the war for today. Rather, it should be to end the war once and for all, break the cycle of ongoing violence and build something stronger in Gaza and in throughout the Middle East so that history does not continue to repeat itself.”

The US president also called on Israel to “respect humanitarian law and reduce the loss of civilian life”, saying he advised Israeli officials during his trip to Tel Aviv “not to let their pain and anger lead them to make mistakes that we ourselves have made.” in the past.”

Biden said: “The two-state solution is the only solution to the ongoing conflict in the region, and in the meantime, there must be a government under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority.”

He said: “As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank must be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a renewed Palestinian Authority, as we all work towards a two-state solution.”

Biden also commented on the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, saying the United States is “prepared to issue visa bans against perpetrators.”

He said: “I have emphasized to Israeli leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must end and that the perpetrators of the violence must be held accountable.”

The warning came amid concerns over Israel’s violation of the Visa Waiver Program that allows eligible travelers to apply to enter the United States without a visa, which went into effect at the end of October.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said this week: “I won’t go into the full details of our private diplomatic conversations, but we expect Israel to address these concerns.”

Biden’s article is the latest example of the White House’s efforts to remind Americans that conflicts abroad also impact U.S. national security, as the administration’s request for funding remains stalled.

Last month, the Biden administration requested more than $105 billion from Congress as part of a package that would provide security assistance for conflicts in Ukraine and Israel.

At the time, Biden made his impassioned plea for funding in a prime-time address from the Oval Office to the nation, calling the moment a “turning point” in American history.

The American president concluded his speech by condemning “the escalation of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas”.