The u. S. Has firmly backed israel in the war launched against gaza despite a humanitarian crisis. 2. 3 million palestinians trapped in the besieged territory. Since the u. S. Has been the biggest owner of military aid to israel. It has provided funding and aid in conflicts that have killed thousands of palestinians. Visiting tel aviv, joe biden personally reassured Benjamin Netanyahu of continued support. Pres. Biden israel, as they respond to these attacks, it seems to me we will have to continue to ensure you have what you need to defend yourselves. We will make sure that occurs. Folly biden arrived in tel aviv just a day after the worst single attack carried out on gaza since october 7. Here is what he had to say about the hospital strike. Pres. Biden i am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in gaza yesterday. Based on what have seen, it appears it was done by the other team, not you. There are a lot of people out there who are not sure. Folly before we go to our panel , lets speak to alan fisher in tel aviv. Tell us more about what came out of this meeting between biden and netanyahu. Is there any shift at all in the u. S. Position . Alan no. They are firmly behind israel. It was israels intention after what happened at the hospital in gaza to convince the americans they were not responsible from joe bidens comments it appears that was not much of a heavy lift. He already decided what he was gathering he said the information he got from the pentagon would suggest the israelis were not behind it. He talked about how his support for israel is steadfast. How they fully behind what they are about to do as far as taking on hamas on the gaza strip. He would like to see some humanitarian aid getting into gaza but what is interesting is in the past, when there have been conflicts in this area, you have u. S. President s have tended to use the word restrain, asking both sides to exercise it. That word has not appeared in any statement joe biden has made since he first commented on what happened last saturday. Folly he has had very little to say about the palestinians and those comments. How is this all playing out in the region . Alan he did say that hamas was not the palestinians. That they did not represent the palestinians. He spoke about innocent people getting caught up in the fighting. People in the arab countries are particularly angry that america seems to have taken israels side, particularly with the growing number of bodies piling up in gaza. There is a concern that he has perhaps been blinded to the humanitarian crisis and is not doing enough to deter the israelis and that could have longterm implications. We certainly saw there was anger toward joe biden when the three arab leaders, the president of egypt, the president of the Palestinian Authority and surprisingly the king of jordan, who is a close u. S. Ally, decided to pull out of the meeting with him. That shows the level of dissatisfaction with the u. S. Response, not least the fact that joe biden was not prepared to call for a ceasefire. Arab leaders felt if they did not do that and were standing next to joe biden when he did not do that they would almost be complicit to what many people think is about to happen. Folly alan fisher in tel aviv. Thank you. Lets meet our guests. In the occupied west bank, we are joined by dalal iriqat, assisted professor of diplomacy at the arab american university. Dalal is also a columnist for a newspaper. In washington, d. C. Is khaled elgindy, a senior fellow at the italy Eastern Institute and author. Also in washington, d. C. , phyllis bennis, a fellow at the institute of policy studies think tank and advisor to the jewish voice for peace organization. Phyllis, let me start with you in washington. We have seen a visit for support from President Biden to tel aviv , to israel, even after a massacre at a hospital in gaza. Even at a time when the region is boiling. Why is the u. S. So supporting so committed to supporting israel . Phyllis that is a long story and we do not have time to go into the history but the story today is the consequences of the visit. The bearhug diplomacy means unless there is a public call for a ceasefire, which i do not anticipate we will see, this visit will be seen and should be seen as a real endorsement of israels continuing attack against gaza. There are likely to be vague references to urging israel not to violate International Law or expressing some kind of concern for Palestinian Civilians, but the reality is the bombing is continuing, gaza is still under assault and threatened with a ground invasion. In that context, the violations of International Law are already underway. What we are seeing is as much as anything else based on u. S. Politics, biden is proving once again his own proisrael credentials, and this notion of the extreme one sidedness using the language teams is just an expression of that. This will not work unless there is a call for a ceasefire if he had any hope of seeing this as winning any level of support in the region. Folly your thoughts . An extraordinary show of support from the Biden Administration at a time when the u. S. Should be calling for restraint and the word restraint was missing from those comments in tel aviv. Restraint is something previous administrations have used with calling for both sides to exercise restraint in past escalations. Why has biden not done this . Khaled it has actually been quite shocking to me as an analyst who has followed this issue for many years, the absence of calls for a ceasefire, the inability to articulate either an expression of basic human empathy for palestinians, in addition to the inability to urge, sort of create redlines and urge israel to show restraint. These are all things that had previously been fairly standard elements of u. S. Policy in times of crisis. Even going back to the second during the height of the violence, at a time when hamas was blowing up weddings and pizzerias, u. S. Officials, even the president at the time was able to identify redlines and urge israel to exercise restraint. We are not seeing any of that right now and the danger, of course, of giving israel an effective green light is we are likely to see more death and destruction. Folly why do you think we are not seeing that . Are domestic politics also at play, with the election coming up . Khaled it is domestic politics but also the person of joe biden. He is personally committed to israel. He has. Expressed that many times. I think it is sincere and i do not believe he is just pandering. Of course, it does not hurt in terms of the domestic politics. There is a real inability to see not just palestinians and their suffering, but even in terms of the longterm consequences of this. If you look at this rationally maybe too rationally and imagine the extraordinary pain and trauma that palestinians are experiencing right now and the anger that will turn into, it is hard to see how anyone would imagine that this scale of death and destruction in gaza would ever bring anything like security for israel. There is a kind of suspension even of the ability to reason in the long term. Folly dalal, let me get your thoughts on this. Why and what do you make of this unconditional u. S. Support for israel . We heard biden in tel aviv say he would work with partners across the region but do they want to work with him . Does bidens embrace of israel set him on a collision course with arab leaders . Dalal i think with what we have just seen is another example of the u. S. Shielding is rarely is really were crimes against people watch the massacre against 500 Palestinian Civilians, mostly women and children. What we expected was a condemnation. Of the actions of israel as long as the u. S. The israelis will continue massacring the palestinians. One more thing we have to focus on today, the framing. Biden tried to mislead the audiences and supporting by saying this was a palestinian fighter. I want to remind you when they massacred, they had evidence. We did not see any evidence. When they label six palestinian organizations as terrorists, they said they had evidence. They want to mislead audiences. The palestinians in august are being massacred. Genocide, war crimes. Everything is being documented. We are living in 2023, the whole road is watching. 2. 2 million palestinians, one million children are deprived from water, medicine, food, electricity. The International Community has an obligation under article 146 of the geneva convention, they have to search for the criminals and hold them accountable. The Palestinian Civilians are entitled to protection. The u. N. Has an obligation to enforce humanitarian aid to the palestinians besides a ceasefire. Folly let me come back to my question you are right. The american said they would look into the explosion of the hospital but it seems like President Biden already made his mind up, he said the other team. What about arab leaders . We have seen them snub biden. Will this posturing and position by the u. S. Leader put him in a collision course with the arab world . Dalal whenever mind World Leaders of their the palestinians have gone into a 30 year peace process. For 75 years, there has been suffering injustice is, enduring injustices under apartheid. All under the package of a prolonged israeli literary occupation. We need to understand the root causes of what we are witnessing. A continued series of war crimes are being documented. It is time that every member state of the u. N. Is to invoke article 25. Every country is obliged to work on their words. Resolutions by granting the palestinians the people have a right to defense and a right to resistance. What we are seeing, what we are witnessing hold on, hold on, please. This is a translation of the deal of the century. We are witnessing a change of the geopolitical map they are evicting the Palestinian People. In the hopes of eliminating the palestinian cause. This war is not against hamas or gaza, it is against the Palestinian People. Everyone should stand for their own obligations. Folly your thoughts about what was just said . The u. S. Position, is it likely to ever shift or will we see this bipartisan policy toward israel in washington, d. C. . For a long time, it was the case. It was somewhat of a blip under the Obama Administration because he did not have good relations with netanyahu. But it seems like it does not matter who is in the white house, the policy states the same. Phyllis the policy has remained consistent for many decades. The 1967 war, it began as a military relationship and morphed into the broadbased political, diplomatic, economic and political as well as military relationship we see now. The u. S. Taxpayers are paying 20 of the entire Israeli Military budget. There is one thing we have to keep in mind about the question of a ceasefire. What is most desperately needed right now, what we are hearing from palestinians across palestine, everywhere, is an immediate ceasefire. We have to recognize the u. S. Has a history of rejecting ceasefires when there are International Calls for a ceasefire when israel is involved. This goes back to 2006 and the lebanon war, against gaza in 2008 and 2009, 2014, again in 2021. In each of these instances, when israel was at war when they defined it, they were attacking palestinians, there was a call for a ceasefire and the u. S. Answer again and again was we do not need a ceasefire, meaning not enough people have been killed. We are facing the same challenge now. The problem with facing people who are protesting in washington, is to demand an immediate ceasefire to break the refusal to call for a ceasefire on all sides right now. Folly what has happened to the voices of progressive democrats in congress who want the u. S. To take a harder line with israel over its assault on gaza . What has happened to them . Khaled i think those voices have almost entirely been silenced, in large part because of the initial attack in israel by hamas. The horror of it and the scale of it has really silenced people who might have otherwise been more critical of how israel has conducted itself. We are starting to see some pushback now. There are more calls from democrats for a ceasefire, which seems reasonable. Part of the problem this goes beyond the united states. Most western nations have also failed to call for a ceasefire. That is different than in the past. As phyllis mentioned, it was the u. S. Blocking or dragging their feet for a ceasefire but they were usually alone. Now there is a chorus of western powers showing unrestrained solidarity and support and unconditional endorsement, really, of what israel is doing on the ground in gaza. To me, that is even more shocking because essentially, everyone is being ruled by emotions and there are no grown ups anywhere who are able to see the horrible human costs of what is happening. Even the medium and longterm repercussions of serious erosion, if not destruction of western credibility as a whole with regard to anything a rulesbased order, it will be impossible for not only palestinians but arabs, africans, latin americans, asians to ever take the u. S. Or european nation seriously when they talk about human rights, International Law or any of those things that have been completely thrown out the window in this case. Folly your thoughts on this . Go ahead, phyllis. Phyllis just one point on what khaled was saying. Coming back to the u. S. Side, it is important to recognize there has been an official resolution introduced into the Congress Calling directly for a ceasefire, carefully framed to not try to win over use of who started it or whose fault, just calling for an immediate ceasefire that now has 13 cosigners. It reflects the fact there has been a movement focused on changing the narrative, the discourse in this country, which has led to a situation where as of two weeks ago, the most recent polls were indicating 25 of american jews, 38 of young jews, believe israel is an apartheid state. There is a movement with congress, the press, the public for 25 years now. We are seeing there is a threat to that accomplishment that right now, i think it still exist and we are seeing public levels of support for palestinians even now despite the incredible levels of terrible press. Folly it would appear more americans are warming to the palestinian cause, according to the latest gallup poll. As khaled said, things go far beyond the u. S. Is there a single country that could be a fair broker . Call for a ceasefire that would be agreed to by israel and be a fair and honest broker in this conflict . Dalal lets remind the American Public that this is a cumulative reflection of their 3. 8 billion of aid to israel. The war crimes committed against 2. 2 million Palestinian Civilians living in a prison of 365 kilometers, mostly children. I want to ask that jewishamerican organizations, other voices, the Harvard School of negotiation, scholars, where are the people who work for conflict resolution . We have failed our students. I have looked into the u. N. Charter, International Law, i could not find one article that supports waiting for permission from the occupier for humanitarian aid. What is the International Community waiting for . Why dont they send drones . Humanitarian assistance and protection for the Palestinian Civilians . Civilians are being massacred on their screens and the whole world is watching. Diplomacy has failed humanitarian and the pendant area palestinian cause. The israeli cause is visiting the audience. It is time to speak the truth and tell the stories of the injustices and endurance is of the Palestinian People for 75 years, let alone the 16 years of the deadly blockade on gaza. Gaza is palestine. This is not a war between israel and hamas. This is not against gaza or hamas, this is against the palestinians. This is a translation of the deal of the century at the expense of palestinian blood. This is part of the electoral process of biden and netanyahu. Folly khaled, what are your thoughts about what dalal just said . She said diplomacy has failed . Has it . Is there still room to get a ceasefire and is there a country that could step in and take that role of a fair and honest broker . Khaled unfortunately, no. I do not see any power that could play that role. But, yes, there is hope for a ceasefire. There has to be. Obviously, this death and destruction cannot continue indefinitely, although it can continue for quite a long time. That is why i was saying how alarming it is that there do not seem to be any reasonable, rational people in the diplomatic world who can see that, who can see the dangers not just of certainly etta humanitarian level certainly at a humanitarian level, given the scale of the attack in all forms. It is clearly directed at civilians in gaza. What really alarms me is the total inability to see how this will impact any future process. I do not see any political process happening anytime soon. One other point, i think it is important to mention the role of palestinian leadership. One of the things that history tells us, the Palestinian People know this better than anyone else because of their history, when they do not have credible leadership, very bad things happen to palestinians. Think of 1948, 1967. I am sorry to say that right now, part of the problem we have, in addition to the responsibility of the western world is the absence of credible palestinian leadership that can advocate for palestinians on the worlds stage and can seek diplomatic opportunities. Right now we have a failed leadership both in gaza and i am afraid to say in the west bank. Folly let me ask dalal about that. Khaled said the absence of palestinian leadership has contributed to the predicament that palestinians find themselves in today. Dalal it is about time we go for unity. Reconciliation. My call to the palestinian leadership of all different political factions is to unite because this has been the fig leaf that has been used against the community. They are looking at us and saying they are not worthy of a palestinian state, independence and recognition. We need to look at 12 days of massacres and war crimes, genocide and forced displacement as more crimes being treated by total impunity by the international committee. 2. 2 million Palestinian Civilians are under israeli fire. Boeing, the american company, the aide pouring into israel, International Legal coverage for the more crimes that are documented on the screens, being perpetrated against the Palestinian People and should not be accepted. This should not be tolerated. This is not just in gaza. This means every palestinian is a target. No matter your ideology, israel is targeting every single palestinian. Israel is waging a war against truth. Whoever tries to tell the truth about israel and its war crimes is being targeted. Folly phyllis, your thoughts about what happens next . Has President Biden given the green light to israel to do whatever it wants in gaza . Phyllis whatever President Biden says, the image of his bearhug diplomacy is seen as a green light for israel to do what it wants. To continue these incredible violations of crimes against humanity that are being committed. We have to be looking for where there might be because for ceasefire that can come from elsewhere, not from the u. S. , not from the europeans. Brazil is the president of the security council. Folly are you hopeful a ceasefire could be reached in the next two days . Dalal i hope so. However, it is really sad that we are waiting for a ceasefire and action. Millions of palestinians are perishing and women and children are deprived of water, medicine. The hospitals, the doctors are operating in the hallways without electricity or anesthesia. We are witnessing a human catastrophe documented on the screens. Yesterdays hospital the head of the church, what did he do . We need to hear it from the u. K. , u. S. , every leader. It is not ok hospitals are being targeted and were crimes are being documented while everyone is watching. Humanity is at risk and we have all failed to meditate. It is time we see palestinians as human beings. Folly thank you to all three of you for a great conversation. Dalal iriqat, khaled elgindy, and phyllis bennis, thank you for joining us on inside story. You can visit al jazeera. Com. Of course, you can join the conversation on x. From me, folly bah thibault, thank you for watching. By for now. Luis garza siqueiros is an innovator. Ruben ortiztorres David Alfaro Siqueiros was one of the 3 mexican muralists. Carol jacques he was an activist artist. Leslie rainer we know that while siqueiros was in los angeles, he was starting what he called a technical revolution in painting