White House gives full backing to Israel following Hamas attack

The Biden administration has given its full backing to Israel following the attack by Hamas militants on Saturday.

President Joe Biden said the US would offer Israel “all appropriate means of support”. He said Israel had a right to defend itself and its people, and warned other countries or groups that were hostile to Israel not to try to take advantage of the situation.

Across the political board in the United States, there has been condemnation of the attacks on Israel.

There is a growing streak of isolationism in US politics, particularly on the right. This can be witnessed in the increasing opposition among Republicans to providing additional aid to Ukraine. However this does not apply to defending Israel.

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Donald Trump, the frontrunner to be the Republican candidate in the presidential election next year, on Saturday said: “The Hamas terrorist invasion of Israeli territory and the murder of Israeli soldiers today and the brutal murder of citizens is an act of savagery that must and will be crushed.”

On Saturday, the US launched an extensive diplomatic push with allies in the Middle East to try bring about an end to the attack on Israel. US secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with senior figures in Turkey, Jordan and Qatar.

[ Israel death toll from Hamas attacks reaches 600 as Netanyahu warns of ‘long and difficult war’ ]

[ China calls for immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel ]

Mr Biden held talks with Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and King Abdullah of Jordan.

Republicans sought to link the attack to a controversial deal reached between the Biden administration and Tehran which freed up $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korea in return for the release of Americans held in prison by Tehran.

Mr Trump contended that “American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks”.

The White House has insisted that the $6 billion is held in a restricted account in Qatar and is meant to be used exclusively for humanitarian purposes such as for food and medicines.

It argued strongly that “not a cent” of the money had been spent.

Critics of the Biden administration also point to comments made a week ago by US national security adviser Jake Sullivan that the Middle East was “quieter today than it has been in two decades”.

While Mr Sullivan warned at the time that this could all change, his remarks will be seized upon in conservative media and political circles.

There are likely to be questions as to how the preparations by Hamas for the attacks were not spotted by the intelligence services, and what this all means for the administration’s Middle East strategy.

[ Micheál Martin indicates Israeli response to ‘appalling’ Hamas attack has not been proportionate ]

[ Wounded Israelis taken to hospital, others remain missing after Hamas attack ]

The White House has not sought to secure an Israeli/Palestinian settlement as one of its priorities.

Rather, it has sought to use its influence to broker a landmark deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia which, if agreed, could reshape politics in the region.

Mr Netanyahu told the UN general assembly last month that Israel was “at the cusp” of a historic breakthrough leading to a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia.

It is now also being asked in Washington whether the attack by Hamas represented an attempt by it or by Iran to disrupt any agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

A senior official in the Biden administration told reporters it was “really premature to speculate” about the effect the Israeli-Hamas conflict could have on efforts towards Saudi-Israeli normalisation.

“I would say for certain Hamas, terrorist groups like Hamas, will not derail any such outcome. But that process has a way to go.”

The White House is already involved in providing financial, military and other support for one war, in Ukraine. In the coming days and weeks it may become involved in assisting another in Gaza.