Washington, DC — Jewish Voice for Peace Action condemns today’s meeting between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and calls on President Biden to withdraw U.S. support for Israeli military apartheid.
While President Biden has diplomatically snubbed Prime Minister Netanyahu by refusing to invite him directly to the White House, it is unacceptable that President Biden has still chosen to meet with a political leader directly responsible for attacking democratic norms, escalating violence, and carrying out the crime of apartheid.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has ushered in the most extremist, far-right Israeli government in history. He has appointed ministers who openly advocate for racist and anti-democratic policies, and who actively encourage and participate in violence against Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s far-right coalition government is behaving as it promised: accelerating violent attacks on Palestinians and committing grave violations of human rights and international law. This year, near-nightly Israeli military and settler attacks on Palestinian towns and villages have resulted in the killing of over 219 Palestinians, including 45 children.
The Biden administration’s finger-wagging over the Israeli government’s actions are inadequate and will not lead to any meaningful change. The U.S. should immediately take steps to withdraw support now and to hold the Israeli government accountable for its gross violations of human rights and war crimes against Palestinians, including ending U.S. military funding and diplomatic support for Israel’s apartheid regime.
“Biden is lagging behind his own base on this issue. Democrats are rapidly moving to the left and calling for the U.S. to stop supporting Israel’s human rights abuses against Palestinians. Hand wringing and small diplomatic snubs are not enough. It’s long past time for Biden to end U.S. complicity in Israeli apartheid.”
Beth Miller, Political Director, JVP Action