Barack Obama called the Israel-Hamas war a “moral reckoning for all of us.” In a tone similar to the one he assumed throughout much of his presidency, Obama tried to strike the middle ground on a polarizing topic.
“All of this is taking place against the backdrop of decades of failure to achieve a durable peace for both Israelis and Palestinians,” he said at the Obama Foundation’s Democracy Forum.
“One that is based on genuine security for Israel, a recognition of its right to exist, and a peace that is based on an end of the occupation and the creation of a viable state and self-determination for the Palestinian people.”As The Hill reported, Obama did acknowledge that it is difficult for people not to have strong feelings given that we live in the age of social media.
“Now, I will admit, it is impossible to be dispassionate in the face of this carnage,” Obama said. “It is hard to feel hopeful. The images of families mourning, of bodies being pulled from rubble, force a moral reckoning on all of us.”
President Joe Biden has been less than willing to embrace a ceasefire, which many humanitarian organizations have been calling for so aid can reach Gaza. Fourteen senators have already called for Biden to speak out for a ceasefire.
A joint statement released by the senators, who included Ed Markey, Mark Warner, and Chris Murphy, echoes the statement of former President Obama, “The failure to adequately protect non-combatant civilians risks dramatic escalation of the conflict in the region and imposes severe damage on prospects for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.”
On Twitter, users were critical of Obama’s remarks, and they have been extremely critical of Biden’s response.
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