In a bid to address the escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, President Joe Biden issued a stern warning, outlining potential visa bans for extremists involved in attacks. The president reaffirmed the U.S.’ commitment to a two-state solution, emphasizing its significance for the long-term security of both Israeli and Palestinian populations.
President Biden’s statement, presented in an op-ed published in The Washington Post on Saturday, stressed the imperative of a two-state solution, asserting, “This much is clear: A two-state solution is the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people.”
The president expressed concern over reports of extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and conveyed a clear message to Israeli leaders. “I have been emphatic with Israel’s leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop and that those committing the violence must be held accountable,” Biden wrote. He further indicated the U.S. preparedness to take action, including issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians in the West Bank.
The U.S. State Department acknowledged concerns regarding Israel potentially violating the Visa Waiver Program, with spokesperson Matt Miller stating, “there are remedial measures that are available to us” if Israel fails to comply with the program.
Biden, in the op-ed, also rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, maintaining a stance he has held since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict early last month. Instead, he emphasized the need for a two-state solution and governance under the Palestinian Authority in the interim.
“A two-state solution — two peoples living side by side with equal measures of freedom, opportunity, and dignity — is where the road to peace must lead,” the president asserted.
This op-ed marks the latest effort from the White House to underline the impact of conflicts abroad on U.S. national security, particularly as the administration’s supplemental funding request remains stalled in Congress. Last month, the Biden administration sought over $105 billion from Congress to provide security assistance for conflicts in Ukraine and Israel.
Biden underscored the significance of addressing these conflicts, drawing parallels between the challenges posed by Russian President Putin and Hamas. “Both Putin and Hamas are fighting to wipe a neighboring democracy off the map,” Biden wrote. “And both Putin and Hamas hope to collapse broader regional stability and integration and take advantage of the ensuing disorder.”
The president concluded by condemning the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. “We can’t stand by when hate rears its head,” Biden stated. “We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate and bias. We must renounce violence and vitriol and see each other not as enemies but as fellow Americans.”
