TEL AVIV, Israel—After rebuking Israel the previous day, Vice President Joe Biden gave a warm and friendly public speech at Tel Aviv University concluding his state visit to Israel on Thursday.
Biden reiterated that the United States will always be committed to the security of Israel, and urged Israel to seize the opportunity to advance toward a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Biden said that President Obama knows as well as he does that “the United States has no better friend in the community of nations than Israel.” He said to the audience, mostly Tel Aviv University students, that the Obama administration has already done a lot to ensure the security of Israel, and he quoted the president who said recently, “I will never waver from ensuring Israel’s security and helping them secure themselves in what is a very hostile region.”
On Wednesday, Biden harshly criticized Israel for its announcement—while Biden was in the country—that it plans to construct 1,600 new housing units in controversial East Jerusalem. The following day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for his timing, saying that he would put in place a process to prevent the recurrence of such an event, for which Biden expressed his appreciation.
The Israeli decision to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem has “undermined the trust required for productive negotiation,” said Biden. For those who were surprised by the vice president’s strong words of condemnation, he replied, “Sometimes, only a friend can deliver the hardest truth.”
“The United States will continue to hold both sides accountable for any statements or any actions that inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of these talks,” said Biden at the university.
“The status quo is not sustainable,” he said, mentioning the demographic realities, which make it increasingly difficult for Israel to remain both a Jewish homeland and a democratic country in the absence of a Palestinian state.
Biden mentioned the decreasing confidence each party had that the other party is really willing to progress toward peace. “I can understand why both sides are skeptical,” he said.
“I know that Israel’s faith in the prospects for peace have been shaken by the searing experience of withdrawing from Lebanon and from Gaza, only to be rewarded with rocket fire and ambushes across your border,” he said.
“Palestinian leaders, to curb incitement and take the risk that peace requires, just as when the West Bank checkpoints proliferate and settlements grow, the Palestinians experience their own crisis in confidence and come to doubt Israeli intentions,” he also said.
However, Biden still seems optimistic. “In the Middle East that I first visited, peace between Israelis and its neighbors seemed absolutely impossible even to discuss,” he said. “But then, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan all acted boldly to end decades of conflict. Over time, other contacts have emerged between Israelis and Arabs.”
Biden believes that the only path to finally resolve sensitive issues is direct talks. The indirect talks planned to begin soon are just a step to help build trust among the parties.
“Back home, I’m sometimes called an optimist, but I’m an optimist about the prospects for peace because I’m a realist,” he said.
Biden also said that he knows that for Israel there is no greater strategic threat, the United States is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, which he said is a national priority.
Biden reiterated that the United States will always be committed to the security of Israel, and urged Israel to seize the opportunity to advance toward a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Biden said that President Obama knows as well as he does that “the United States has no better friend in the community of nations than Israel.” He said to the audience, mostly Tel Aviv University students, that the Obama administration has already done a lot to ensure the security of Israel, and he quoted the president who said recently, “I will never waver from ensuring Israel’s security and helping them secure themselves in what is a very hostile region.”
On Wednesday, Biden harshly criticized Israel for its announcement—while Biden was in the country—that it plans to construct 1,600 new housing units in controversial East Jerusalem. The following day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for his timing, saying that he would put in place a process to prevent the recurrence of such an event, for which Biden expressed his appreciation.
The Israeli decision to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem has “undermined the trust required for productive negotiation,” said Biden. For those who were surprised by the vice president’s strong words of condemnation, he replied, “Sometimes, only a friend can deliver the hardest truth.”
“The United States will continue to hold both sides accountable for any statements or any actions that inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of these talks,” said Biden at the university.
“The status quo is not sustainable,” he said, mentioning the demographic realities, which make it increasingly difficult for Israel to remain both a Jewish homeland and a democratic country in the absence of a Palestinian state.
Biden mentioned the decreasing confidence each party had that the other party is really willing to progress toward peace. “I can understand why both sides are skeptical,” he said.
“I know that Israel’s faith in the prospects for peace have been shaken by the searing experience of withdrawing from Lebanon and from Gaza, only to be rewarded with rocket fire and ambushes across your border,” he said.
“Palestinian leaders, to curb incitement and take the risk that peace requires, just as when the West Bank checkpoints proliferate and settlements grow, the Palestinians experience their own crisis in confidence and come to doubt Israeli intentions,” he also said.
However, Biden still seems optimistic. “In the Middle East that I first visited, peace between Israelis and its neighbors seemed absolutely impossible even to discuss,” he said. “But then, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan all acted boldly to end decades of conflict. Over time, other contacts have emerged between Israelis and Arabs.”
Biden believes that the only path to finally resolve sensitive issues is direct talks. The indirect talks planned to begin soon are just a step to help build trust among the parties.
“Back home, I’m sometimes called an optimist, but I’m an optimist about the prospects for peace because I’m a realist,” he said.
Biden also said that he knows that for Israel there is no greater strategic threat, the United States is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, which he said is a national priority.
