Biden may pay price at polls for backing Israel
THE US House of Representatives sat recently in order to pass a bill providing $60billion of aid principally to Ukraine.
They also agreed to give billions in aid to Israel and Palestine and some aid for Taiwan too. This had been held up by the considerable Trump faction but in the end, this aid was finally sanctioned. However, in the US, one notes a growing sense of rebellion among students in universities, reflecting an anger that is growing vis-avis Joe Biden’s support for Israel and what Israel has been doing for the last six months.
The passage of this aid bill took a long time and it was indeed very important for Ukraine to receive this prodigious support package, but it seemed to me as if the Israeli part of this financial allocation has gone under the radar.
However these objecting students are now making a significant protest against Biden and his handling of the war.
These student protests appear to be now expediting across many US college campuses.
These demonstrations express the dissatisfaction amongst these young people towards Biden’s support of the most right-wing government in the history of the state of Israel under prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lets not forget Netanyahu’s sanctioning of the counter attack and assault of Gaza which has killed more than 34,000 people, according to local authorities .
It’s shocking to think that circa 10,000 women and approximately 14,000 children were among the fatalities. In recent times, Biden’s rhetoric towards Israel has gotten tougher, but this has certainly not been reflected in his actions. This is why we are now seeing widespread protests.
I still find it bewildering as to why Biden has remained a supporter of Netanyahu.
I believe the situation in Gaza is far more important than the presidential election. If Biden is able to resolve this imbroglio, I believe he will be in fine fettle going into the election.
If the president fails on this one, he may very well pay a price for it in November’s plebiscite.
JOHN O’BRIEN, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.
Political promises
UNDER-PROMISE, over-deliver. These are the words by which all politicians should abide. PAT O’CALLAGHAN, Mallow, Co. Cork.
Live in the moment
LAST week’s glorious weather was worth waiting for. Well, I thought so anyway, until Joe, a local self-acclaimed weather expert, joined me as I was enjoying a 99 and a coffee al fresco and he complained that we had lost the run of ourselves.
As one who makes the most of good weather and outdoor living, I was taken aback. Joe insisted unseasonable weather is precarious and upsets the natural order.
‘It’s far too early, it won’t last and we’ll pay for it later on. It’s the middle of Scaraveen, so this brief spell of good weather will be followed by the rough weather of the cuckoo,’ he stressed.
He predicted that the whole country could soon be laid low with colds and flu because of our obsession with the golden tan.
He rubbed salt in the wound by inferring that my attire of shorts, T-shirt, fedora and shades was more appropriate for the Costa del Sol than downtown Tralee on an April day. To add insult to injury, I was further chastised for swimming out of season.
‘Have you never heard the old adage: April and May stay out of the sea, June and July swim ’til you die?’ he asked.
Even though my ice cream had melted and my americano had gone cold, I stood my ground. ‘Live in the moment, Joe,’ I said. ‘As Gerry Murphy, a real meteorologist and RTÉ weather forecaster, advises, enjoy the good weather when it comes. What’s seldom is wonderful.’