Wrong to hold Israel to standards no one else is held to

The international community must stop applying double standards when it comes to IDF actions during the Israel-Hamas war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday in a virtual address.

“You cannot say you support Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas and then oppose Israel when it takes the action necessary to achieve that goal,” Netanyahu stated.

“You cannot say that you oppose Hamas’s strategy of using civilians as human shields and then blame Israel for the civilian casualties that result from this cynical Hamas strategy.

“For Israel, every civilian death is a tragedy. For Hamas, every civilian death is a strategy,” he said.

“It is wrong and immoral to hold Israel to a standard for avoiding civilian casualties that no other country on Earth is held to,” he stated.

Netanyahu spoke amid growing tension between his government and the Biden administration over Israel’s policies concerning the Hamas war.

The US had hoped to finalize a six-week pause to the war, that would allow for the release of some 40 out of the remaining 134 hostages held in Gaza and to expand the absence of those hostilities into a deal for a permanent ceasefire.

Instead, the continuation of the war into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on Sunday night, has deepened the humanitarian crisis in the enclave and increased the risk that combat in Gaza could spark a regional war.

The international community has increasingly pressed Israel to halt the war, even though it has not achieved its goal of destroying Hamas,

decided our mission is not over; we are waiting for his return to sit shiva [traditional week-long Jewish mourning period]. We will continue to fight for the return of all hostages now. Right now, we are faced with an opportunity to lighten the suffering of all the hostage families; I am calling on the prime minister and the government to do everything in their power to bring our loved ones home.”

The family added that “the chief military rabbi determined his death after examining all the findings and based on reliable information.”

Itay Chen’s death hits hard for US President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday during a press conference.

The White House hasn’t yet announced any plans for Biden to meet with Chen’s family, though Sullivan said the statement Biden issued today on Chen’s death “won’t be the end of it” from Biden.

“[Biden]has invested personally in trying to bring all of those who are held hostage in Gaza home and elsewhere around the world, and the fact that we now have news that he was killed on October 7, it’ just hits hard in that realm,” Sullivan said.

In a statement released by the White House, “I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home.”

Biden later posted on X “Jill and I are devastated to learn that Itay Chen was killed by Hamas during its brutal terrorist assault on October 7.

“In December, Itay’s father and brother joined me at the White House to share the agony and uncertainty they’ve faced as they prayed for the safe return of their loved one. No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through.

“Today, as we join Itay’s parents, brothers, and family in grieving this tragic loss, I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: We are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home.”

President Isaac Herzog said later in the evening that he spoke with Itay’s parents, Ruby and Hagit, and that “on behalf of the entire nation, I expressed deep sorrow and offered them much strength in these difficult moments, emphasizing the importance of making every effort to bring our hostages swiftly home.” Herzog also thanked Biden for his “assistance, support, and great empathy for the Chen family and all the families of the