‘He will not be lectured’: WH defends Biden against Elise Stefanik’s criticism of his stance on Israel
WASHINTGTON, DC: The White House countered House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik's (R-N.Y.) criticisms made during her speech to the Israeli government's legislative body on Sunday, May 19, where she condemned President Joe Biden's policy stance on Israel and the conflict in Gaza.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates reaffirmed Biden's "ironclad" commitment to Israel's security and stated, “There has been no better friend to Israel than President Biden.”
“He was the first American president to visit Israel during war time — in the aftermath of the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks — and the first president to order the US military to defend Israel from a foreign nation’s attack,” Bates added.
Elise Stefanik criticized for silence on Donald Trump's comments
Andrew Bates sharply criticized Elise Stefanik for her silence regarding former President Donald Trump's comments following the October 7 attacks, as per The Hill.
Trump had accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing the US in 2020, prior to the American operation that eliminated a high-ranking Iranian general.
Additionally, Trump implied that public discussions between the Biden administration and Israeli officials had inadvertently aided Hezbollah in orchestrating subsequent assaults on Israel.
In a later interview, Trump claimed that under his presidency, Israel would not have needed to be on alert. He also derogatorily referred to Israel's defense minister as a "jerk".
“Unlike some figures on the right, President Biden did not rail against the Israeli government in the days after October 7, nor has he ever praised terrorist organizations like Hezbollah — and he will not be lectured by any person who was silent in the face of those offensive statements," said Bates.
“What’s more, no one should ever confuse January 6th convicts who assaulted police officers with the innocent hostages brutally taken captive by Hamas on October 7th,” Bates commented on Stefanik's description of the incarcerated Jan 6 rioters as "hostages," a term she used for those convicted on related charges.
Trump was the first to label convicted rioters as "hostages," a term that is more commonly associated with the nearly 250 individuals taken from their homes during Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Elise Stefanik calls out Joe Biden for halting weapon shipments to Israel
Stefanik, who became the highest-ranking House member to visit Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, specifically criticized Biden for halting certain weapons shipments to Israel due to concerns about the planned operation in Gaza.
The Biden administration came under scrutiny for pausing the transfer of approximately 3,500 heavy bombs to Israel, coinciding with the Israel Defense Forces' preparations to escalate operations in southern and central Gaza.
Subsequently, the White House announced its intention to proceed with a $1 billion weapons transfer to Israel.
“I have been clear at home and I will be clear here: There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel — aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives,” Stefanik said before her address on Sunday.
“No excuse. Full stop,” she added. “It’s why I have sponsored, or backed, every measure to aid Israel that has come before the US Congress. Every single one.”
