President Joe Biden stated on Thursday that protests at college campuses across the nation have not caused him to reconsider his policies in the Middle East. During a press conference addressing anti-Israel demonstrations at college campuses in response to Israel’s conflict with Hamas, a reporter asked if the protests had prompted him to rethink his policies in the region. Biden replied with a firm “No” before leaving the podium.
When asked if he believed the National Guard should intervene in the protests, Biden again responded with a clear “No” as he exited the room. The initial protests, which began at Columbia University, emerged before Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes $26 billion in aid for Israel, including military funding, on April 24.
In his comments addressing the anti-Israel protests, Biden condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia. He emphasized that there is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind, whether it targets antisemitism, Islamophobia, or discrimination against Arab-Americans or Palestinian-Americans.
Biden also criticized violent protests on campuses, stating that vandalism, trespassing, and other disruptive activities are not peaceful forms of protest and are against the law. These remarks come amidst a growing opposition movement within the Democratic Party, with over half a million Americans casting ballots against Biden in protest of his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict and calling for a ceasefire.
Despite demanding an “immediate ceasefire” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to protests, uncommitted efforts persisted in Democratic primary elections in various states. The progressive group Our Revolution is hosting a rally in Maryland advocating for voters to choose “Uncommitted” in the primaries, signaling ongoing frustrations with Biden’s approach to the conflict in the Middle East.
