According to CNN, the president will visit Israel on Wednesday:
US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in the early hours of Tuesday from Tel Aviv…
The risks of a presidential visit to Israel are not small. On Monday, as Blinken met with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, air sirens blared, forcing the two men to shelter in place.
The United States and Israel “have agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza,” Blinken said, adding that the president during the trip “will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that minimizes civilian casualties and enables humanitarian assistance to flow to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not benefit Hamas.”
From a crass political perspective, Biden’s visit will make for an interesting split-screen with the GOP House’s folding-chair flinging, belt-snatching wrastling match for the gavel.
I hate thinking of deadly serious events in those terms, but here we are. Open thread.
Alison Rose
As I said in the previous thread, I’m torn, because I’m glad he’s showing this the concern and attention it deserves, but I’m also scared for him and not looking forward to the shit-flinging that’s gonna happen. But damn, am I glad to have a functional adult in the White House right now.
dmsilev
If the howler monkeys manage to agree on Gym tomorrow, I’ll bet that he demands to along on the trip with Biden. Maybe we could leave him there. He and Netanyahu deserve each other.
Glidwrith
Biden is putting Bibi in a headlock, a reminder to be civilized or there are consequences.
Chetan Murthy
@Glidwrith: I read that Blinken waited to announce until after Bibi had agreed to allow humanitarian relief into Gaza, and had agreed that if Hamas blocked it, Israel would object to that blocking. That is to say, that Israel would put itself visibly on the side of getting relief to Gazan civilians.
lowtechcyclist
@Alison Rose:
Aren’t we all. And once again, I’m impressed with the way Biden is representing my values here. I can’t remember any leader of either party showing anywhere near this much concern for the well-being of Palestinian civilians in a situation like this. It’s good to have leaders that recognize them as fellow human beings.
And he’s got an excellent team. Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin are on top of things here.
satby
@Glidwrith: Agree. The best thing about “old” Joe is he’ll do what he thinks is right and damn the media concern trolls. Bibi has been too cozy with both Putin and his clown caucus in the US. His own people want him gone. I think besides showing concern for those murdered by Hamas, Biden is going to warn Bibi not to do anything stupid: the USA supports the state of Isreal, not the person of Netanyahu.
laura
Betty C, I’m pulling Skinny Legs and All from the bookshelves and giving it a redo.
Bill Arnold
@Glidwrith:
International Humanitarian Law is so irritatingly constraining.
I expect that Mr. Netanyahu will have a bunch of
demandsasks. BN and his henchmen/operatives should be reminded that they have often interfered in American politics, and that this interference has not been forgiven.Michael Bersin
Two carrier strike groups in the immediate neighborhood will make it work.
Joe Biden is adding “go ahead, make my day” and “you’re all not that stupid” to “don’t”.
piratedan
@satby: Biden sure seems to be just as good as Clinton and Obama without the constraints of having to be under constant investigations or walking a perilous race tightrope. Inherently a good and compassionate soul who doesn’t care to be bullshitted.
A worrisome me is afraid that somehow/someway these ghouls find a way to assassinate him and Harris and engage their coup.
Another Scott
Whitehouse.gov:
That second paragraph is very interesting, and important. I haven’t seen it mentioned in the headlines I’ve skimmed.
Cheers,
Scott.
Gin & Tonic
Bibi is still the same asshole as ever:
Chetan Murthy
@Another Scott: Scholz too.
https://www.reuters.com/world/germanys-scholz-visit-israel-egypt-this-week-sources-2023-10-16/
BERLIN, Oct 16 (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Israel on Tuesday and then Egypt as Western nations try to prevent the Middle East conflict from spreading, according to sources familiar with the plan.
Suzanne
@Glidwrith:
I hope so.
SiubhanDuinne
Ballsy af.
mvr
I’m not confident I know how to weigh in about the situation in an effective/constructive way given the complexities and misinformation as someone who thinks that the the status quo has is unjust but also thinks that Israel can’t but respond in some way to a mass terrorist attack and that civilians must be protected by all concerned.
So I am keeping my mouth shut on social media. I feel a bit guilty about that, since there is much to speak out about. I’m just not sure of how to do it well without amplifying something I’m against. But I am somewhat reassured that Biden is doing what he can to make the coming war less bad than it would otherwise be. And it makes me think my general quiet response is the right one given my knowledge and abilities.
Betty Cracker
@mvr: I think it would be a great thing if more people were less confident making pronouncements about the situation in Israel and Gaza. As you noted, it’s complicated, and the info we have is incomplete at best.
The firm conclusions I’ve reached so far more or less match yours. The status quo is untenable, and civilians deserve safety. Beyond that? Fuckifino.
I think one negative effect of being connected all the time is the pressure to have a take on everything, all the time, as if it’s an obligation — as if not having a take is the same as not caring. It’s not.
HumboldtBlue
@lowtechcyclist:
This has been an extraordinarily well run administration.
Chetan Murthy
@HumboldtBlue: How can you say that? Don’t you know Biden is old?
Jay
Faux will focus on the shoes he wears when he arrives in Israel to deplane.
...now I try to be amused
@Gin & Tonic:
Perhaps he’s in no mood to stand next to a Jewish national leader who is popular in his own country?
HumboldtBlue
@…now I try to be amused:
That’s exactly what it is. Bibi is hated, Zelensky is admired across the globe and at home.
stacib
I’ve been offline all day. Has it been mentioned that Biden is now on Truth Social? I find that hilarious.
wjca
@Gin & Tonic:
The obvious answer being that Bibi doesn’t want to meet someone who opposes invasions. When that’s what his settlers are doing, albeit in slow motion.
Michael Bersin
@Jay:
If he disembarks from Air Force One in a tan suit we’re all doomed.
Marc
Tom Robbins, now there’s an author I haven’t thought about in years (I’ll admit, I was surprised to find out that he was still alive). Still have copies of Another Roadside Attraction, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, and Jitterbug Perfume sitting on my bookshelf. Very much the 70s and 80s for me, along with Richard Brautigan, Ken Kesey, and Thomas Pynchon (I still haven’t managed to finish Gravity’s Rainbow, I’m due for another try).
Neal
@mvr:
Very well said. I feel exactly the same…I try to be well informed and considerate, but I simply am swimming in too deep of waters when/if I try to comment.
My silence should not be taken as a lack of caring, it is just that others are far better versed in the details.
Glidwrith
@Betty Cracker: My husband joked that there should be a new Diaspora. If the two peoples can’t live in peace, no one gets to live there.
I can’t help but wonder if we should consider this, since the alternative is a blood bath.
wjca
Only if he’s also wearing tennis shoes. Although loafers would be a horrible gaffe as well.
mvr
@Marc: Read all of those when I was 18/19. These were the books my much cooler friends were reading and talking up. Really only got Robbins, I think, though I do remember the Pynchon parts about hunting Alligators in the NYC sewers. I probably should try again. But then I didn’t get Finnegan’s Wake either. Probably should try that first. Though I’m likely just too literal minded for any of it.
HumboldtBlue
Phils win! Phils win! Phils won!
Another Scott
Speaking of visits, ICYMI, …
(Points to a Politico story.)
It’s almost as if this Joey guy knows how to do politics.
Cheers,
Scott.
HumboldtBlue
“Just cook rice the right way, not the white way.” Uncle Roger.
Chief Oshkosh
@mvr:
Reminds me of a conversation a reporter had with James Joyce about Finnegan’s Wake (and might not even be apocryphal!):
Reporter: Mr. Joyce, in the sixth chapter, you wrote [reporter reads the excerpt]. …What does that mean?
Joyce: (after much thinking and chin scratching) Well, son, when I wrote that, only God and I knew what it meant. And now? God only knows!
Betsy
@satby: I can imagine that Blinken made a deal — the administration in Israel agrees to certain standards of decency and they get a Presidential visit, with all that that says to the world — or not.
NotMax
@Marc
Gravity’s Rainbow is the Winchester mansion of novels, never meant to be finished.
;)
cain
@HumboldtBlue: he need to pair up with a black person .. and both shake their heads and then an Indian and Malay and thai after that.
And then all in unison “make rice the right way not the white way!”
Villago Delenda Est
@SiubhanDuinne: In marked contrast to TFFG.
HumboldtBlue
@cain:
That made me laugh out loud.
Manyakitty
@Gin & Tonic: Putin’s greasy fingers again
Villago Delenda Est
@Manyakitty: One can only wonder if there will be a The Death of Putin movie in the future.
HumboldtBlue
What are you gonna be for Halloween?
Cumpleaños feliz Bryce Harper!!!
Kayla Rudbek
@Glidwrith: I’ve thought that as well in all seriousness (exasperated “if you can’t play nicely together, neither of you gets to play with it at all”) but since I have no stakes in this, it’s probably an idea that’s simple, easy, and wrong.
Mai Naem mobile
I know it’s good politics but I wish Biden wouldn’t go to Israel. I just find the situation scary for him security wise. And, Israel having this massive Intel failure sure isn’t helping my fear.
Aussie Sheila
@HumboldtBlue:
It is the best run, most well managed Administration the US has produced in my political lifetime. In fact it will go down in history as the best since WW2 in my opinion.
opiejeanne
@mvr: I agree with everything you said, and the best I can do is try to comfort my friends who are suffering because of this terrorism, and I really don’t know what else to do
I can only give them metaphorical hugs, since most are people I’ve met in real life, but who live far away.
Manyakitty
@Villago Delenda Est: it would be irresponsible not to speculate.
Chris Johnson
@piratedan: The coup thing did immediately occur to me, but there’s something to remember: on Jan 6th the US Military already didn’t cosign a coup.
That’s before the details of Jan 6 was, got out, that is before Trump’s legal issues unfolded, and that is also before two hypothetical political assassinations that might be way harder than people think they would be.
So anybody serious about this scenario would have to assume the obvious risk could happen and then the military, which ALREADY was resistant on Jan 6, would not treat such an event as illegitimate. I don’t buy it. They took an oath and it wasn’t to provide firepower to whichever leader seized the fucking conch. This is reality, not alt-right fart sniffing.
I don’t buy that America rests solely on the bravery of whichever Secret Service people haven’t been subverted by Putin. For all our faults we are better than that. In no way is our republic that unstable. And I don’t think it’d be that easy to pull off a coup, either. All the cards are on the table now, I think. Harder to sneak bad actors into places.
Dave
@Kayla Rudbek: Well I mean it’s not a real solution in no way could it be practically and ethically carried out but I understand the impulse. The people that would be willing to accept a New Diaspora (and we will just for now skip on by the less then savory historical implications of that and just pretend that Diaspora II is in fact carried out ethically etc etc) are almost by definition not the people that are the problem.
Can imagine a world where it does bring Israelis and Palestinians together in violence against that outsiders that are trying to diaspora them. A sort of poisoned Aesop there.
I probably shouldn’t try to make “cute/fun” comments before I have my coffee.
mvr
@Chief Oshkosh: Sometimes the apocryphal conveys a larger truth.