Biden urges Israelis to accept plan, and Israel’s leaders to stick with it, blasts talk of ‘total victory’

US President Joe Biden addresses the people of Israel directly:

“The people of Israel should know, they can take this [hostage deal] offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas’s [forces] over the past eight months.”

“At this point, Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another October 7. This was one of Israel’s main objectives in this war — and quite frankly, a righteous one.”

“I know there are those in Israel who will not agree with this plan and will call for the war to continue indefinitely. Some are even in the governing coalition. They’ve made it clear that they want to occupy Gaza, they want to keep fighting for years, and the hostages are not a priority to them.”

“Well, I’ve urged the leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal, despite whatever pressure comes.”

“To the people of Israel, let me say this: As someone who has had a lifelong commitment to Israel, as the only American president who has ever gone to Israel at a time of war, as someone who just sent US forces to directly defend Israel when it was attacked by Iran, I ask you to take a step back and think what will happen if this moment is lost?”

“You can’t lose this moment. Indefinite war in pursuit of an unidentified notion of total victory will only bog down Israel in Gaza, draining military, ecnomomic and human resources and further Israel’s isolation in the world. That will not bring hostages home. That will not bring an enduring defeat of Hamas. That will not bring Israel lasting security.”

Biden acknowledges that there will be differences between the sides in the ensuing negotiations.

“But if Hamas comes to negotiate ready to deal, then Israel’s negotiators must be given a mandate with necessary flexibility to close that deal,” he says.