President Joe Biden is facing criticism for a vague post on X about the Israel-Hamas war.
On Tuesday evening, Biden wrote, “Hamas unleashed a terrorist attack because they fear nothing more than Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace. To continue down the path of terror, violence, killing, and war is to give Hamas what they seek.”
“We can’t do that,” he insisted.
Hamas unleashed a terrorist attack because they fear nothing more than Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 28, 2023
To continue down the path of terror, violence, killing, and war is to give Hamas what they seek.
We can’t do that.
The post comes as the cease-fire in the conflict, which was agreed upon to facilitate the release of hostages from the Gaza Strip, was set to expire on Wednesday.
Some users on X fretted Biden was urging Israel to cease its operations in Gaza.
National Review’s Noah Rothman wrote, “Biden caves.”
Biden caves. https://t.co/tUVzr5HMP3
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) November 28, 2023
“It’s always a mistake to take lefty sloganeering like this too seriously, but Biden is saying here that Israel wiping out Hamas in Gaza is exactly what Hamas wants,” conservative political consult Noah Pollack said.
He added, “This is a deeply moronic and insane thing to say.”
It's always a mistake to take lefty sloganeering like this too seriously, but Biden is saying here that Israel wiping out Hamas in Gaza is exactly what Hamas wants.
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) November 28, 2023
This is a deeply moronic and insane thing to say. https://t.co/o5JtuDyRZX
Liberal commentator Wajahat Ali claimed it was a sign Biden was aligning with public opinion as he wrote, “Democrats finally seeing the polls.”
Democrats finally seeing the polls. https://t.co/K0N9C7CMjb
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) November 28, 2023
Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote, “It took Biden only a few weeks after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust to turn on Israel and compare Israel’s actions to terror.”
It took Biden only a few weeks after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust to turn on Israel and compare Israel's actions to terror. https://t.co/zPUUsP9PBB
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) November 29, 2023
Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted, “Biden now publicly attacking Israel for defending themselves from the barbaric terrorists who just killed 1200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more. Shameful cowering to the worst, most toxic lunatics in his party.”
Biden now publicly attacking Israel for defending themselves from the barbaric terrorists who just killed 1200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 29, 2023
Shameful cowering to the worst, most toxic lunatics in his party. https://t.co/vZcJyfj7gA
Still, others simply expressed confusion about what the actual message is.
The Bulwark’s Charlie Sykes wrote, “This post seems to have satisfied no one, while confusing pretty much everyone.”
This post seems to have satisfied no one, while confusing pretty much everyone. https://t.co/3ImHU520um
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) November 29, 2023
“This is a weird, unclear tweet. The part about not giving Hamas a war, aka permanent ceasefire instead, is a big problem,” asserted Townhall’s Katie Pavlich.
This is a weird, unclear tweet. The part about not giving Hamas a war, aka permanent ceasefire instead, is a big problem. https://t.co/XIlfQoAeX2
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) November 28, 2023
Fox News’ Lawrence Jones asked, “What does this even mean???”
What does this even mean??? https://t.co/iLeLXC9Apv
— Lawrence Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) November 28, 2023
The unclear post comes nearly two months after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7 massacre, killing “around 1,200” people, according to Israeli officials. Another estimated 240 people were taken hostage.