US President Joe Biden has called on Israel to respect the rules of war and not slip into senseless “rage” during its ongoing war with the Palestinian militants. He also urged everyone to denounce the wave of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia ignited by the conflict.
“When I was in Israel yesterday, I said that when America experienced the hell of 9/11, we felt enraged as well,” Biden said in a televised address on Thursday night. “While we sought and got justice, we made mistakes. So, I cautioned the government of Israel not to be blinded by rage.”
He said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against targeting Palestinian civilians during Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
“Netanyahu and I discussed again yesterday the critical need for Israel to operate by the laws of war. That means protecting civilians in combat as best as they can,” Biden said. He added that the population of Gaza must have access to food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid.