President Joe Biden, who has pledged support for Israel amid the country’s ongoing war with Hamas that has left more than 37,000 Palestinians dead, claimed in a recent interview that he’s “the guy that did more for the Palestinian community than anybody.”

The president also defended his support for the Israel — his administration approved a bill to provide $26 billion in additional wartime aid to the country in April — and called himself a Zionist. “If there weren’t an Israel, every Jew in the world would be at risk,” said Biden. “And so there’s a need for it to be strong.” He added, “By the way, I’m the guy that did more for the Palestinian community than anybody. I’m the guy that opened up all the assets. I’m the guy that made sure that – I got the Egyptians to open the border to let goods through, medicine, and food,” Biden said. “I have been very supportive of the Palestinians, but Hamas, they’re a bunch of thugs.”

  • Iceblade@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Your source lines up rather well with the knowledge that I based this on - some 60k refugees into the Mandate '36-'39. After the end of the war it was mostly survivors after the holocaust and later on refugees from various regions such as the middle-east and the USSR/Russia, both of which persecute(d) and have huge problems with antisemitism to this day.

    Won’t elaborate on other persecuted peoples since the OP asked about Israel and jews specifically, but there’s certainly an argument to be made that cultural groups without or outside of an autonomous homeland are more exposed than others.

    Can’t speak for the Americas, but where I live right now certainly isn’t “perfectly safe” for jews. The closest synagogue to where I live is attacked pretty much on an annual basis, and the one jewish school in my country has to have round-the-clock armed guards. The only thing keeping me “safe” is that this part of my heritage isn’t publicly known. As mentioned in my previous comment, I would have left if I wasn’t fine with hiding/suppressing that part of my identity.

    I’d strongly recommend educating yourself a bit on the subject before commenting further.

    • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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      4 months ago

      Persecution of Jews in WW2 Germany started before 1936. The Holocaust start date was 1933. You’re casually leaving out the 150K that went to Palestine from 1931 to 1936.

      Jews being suppressed in whatever country you’re in is bad but I’m going to guess you’re not in America. Other countries also have problems suppressing other ethnic groups that’s not a Jews specific thing. Creating an Ethnostate by Genociding natives is proven to not solve this safety issue as we can see in Palestine right now. Jews are far safer in America than in israel which really begs the question why israel needs to exist.

      But if you think ethnically cleansing a land to create a “safe space” is a solution, then remember that all Hitler wanted to do was to "create a safe space for his Ubermensch"as well.

      • Iceblade@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        You’re casually leaving out the 150K that went to Palestine from 1931 to 1936.

        I’m not a walking history book, and my time is limited. Besides, these people were coming from many places, not just Germany. If you (or anyone else for that matter) wants to explore the topic further there are plenty of books out there.

        Jews are far safer in America than in israel which really begs the question why Israel needs to exist.

        Because it already exists, and the people live there, call it home, and have done so for generations. They have a right to defend its existence. The same can be asked for the Palestinian Territories, or most other homelands of persecuted peoples. There are other, safer places, but this is their home.

        I would also mention that recent events have highlighted that the US really can’t be counted on being/remaining safe, for people in general. Your political system is fucked up, is taking away basic rights from people, and political violence is on the rise.

        Israel ceasing would in all likelihood mean genocide. Given the actions of Hamas on October 7th, there would be not tens of thousands of dead if the state of Israel “just stopped existing”, but hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dead. Even if the state was gone, the people it was protecting would still be there.

        There needs to be peace, for all involved. That is what I think, not more, not less.

        I also won’t deign you any further replies, given how you don’t seem interested in civil discussion, but rather strawmen and drawing warped parallells where there are none.

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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          4 months ago

          You are indeed not a walking history book. It’s one Hasbara after the next. Clearly you have been fully unable to learn anything about what israel is during the last 9 months of Genocide and are fully unwilling to do so.