JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The dispute between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden over Israel’s plan to enter and engage in military action in Rafah as part of the war to eradicate Hamas is reminiscent of another historic meeting between Biden and a former Israeli prime minister, the late Menachem Begin.
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At the time, several newspapers described the meeting between the two on June 22, 1982, when Begin appeared before the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee to request US support during the First Lebanon War. The following account appeared in Yediot Aharonot in June 1982. [NYT also described the “angry mood” during the Senate session with Begin].
Senator Biden said that Israel’s actions are the reason it is not loved in the world. He said that Ariel Sharon had banged on the table when he visited the senate, and in doing so Biden himself banged on the table.
Begin said: “Mr. Senator, tables are for writing on and not for banging.”
Biden responded that “I told your defense minister that this is the Senate and not the Knesset.”
Begin, visibly insulted, said: “Don’t speak disparagingly of the Knesset, it is the most democratic institution in the world.”
At this point Biden declared his support for the war in Lebanon, stating that “If attacks were launched from Canada into the US,” Biden remarked, “everyone here would have said, ‘Attack all the cities of Canada, and we don’t care if all the civilians get killed.” [Biden’s words then are remarkable in the context of his views on Rafah]
“You must solve the Palestinian problem”, he thundered, adding that “the American taxpayer is paying for the settlements.” Biden effectively threatened to stop military aid to Israel if it didn’t reverse its policies on Palestinians.
Begin responded harshly. “Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid. It will not work. I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history.”
“Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid,” Begin added, leaving Biden speechless.
It would be nice if there was a recording of that meeting, which could be broadcast over the news media.
If he can’t remember when he was VP do you think he could remember this not ford hecremrmber taking money from china or Russia
It’s all politics. Biden’s crew see him losing leftist and Muslim votes, so they are tilting away from Israel.
the guy doesnt remember what he ate in the morning, plus he has a Kenyan guy and Soros telling his HANDLERS what to do.
You don’t say you mean a country that dropped in atom bomb on Japan killing hundreds and thousands civilians would actually do it again I don’t believe it. I guess there’s only one way to find out
Biden still thinks he can dictate to Israel to surrender to the pali terrorists, this is the perfect time to repeat Begins words especially as it fits in to Purim as Mordechai told Esther something similar.
________________________________ “Begin responded harshly. “Don’t threaten us with cutting off your aid…I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary, we will die for them again, with or without your aid,” Begin added, leaving Biden speechless.” ________________________________ This is such silly Zionist lies and propaganda. First of all, Begin, as a student of Jabotinsky, was the exact opposite of a proud Jew. He was a proud Jabotinsky-ite gentile-esque Zionist. Second, the Zionists were the ones who not only caused the Holocaust but actively contributed to it by lobbying governments against allowing in Jews to their countries with the clear understanding that the alternative was those very same Hitler’s ovens about which he was prattling on. Finally, if the Zionists don’t get American money/aid/whatever then even Rabbi Dr. Soloveitchik noted that the Zionists would be history. So silly.
Something Biden said to begin 42 yrs ago when he was a senator has zero relevance to today. Not even news worthy
You figure we would starve Canadian children?