The billboard in a western Jerusalem neighborhood that previously thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his support has now been changed to criticize Biden for pressuring Israel not to pursue Hamas terrorists and win the war in Gaza.
Shortly after the outbreak of war, families gathered on Emek Refaim, a street in the old German Colony area, where a billboard thanking President Biden was prominently displayed. There were concerns about Hamas terrorists potentially lurking in the area after infiltrating Israel on Oct. 7.
Biden had visited Israel just before the war broke out, becoming the first U.S. president to visit the country during wartime. However, his stance has shifted since then, with criticisms directed towards him for withholding crucial weapons from Israel due to their operations in Rafah to defeat Hamas.
The billboard now speaks out against the violence, with a message urging the President to intervene and stop the atrocities being committed. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan defended the administration’s position, claiming that media coverage of the differences between the Biden administration and the Israeli government had been more heated than informative.
