Biden To Deliver Prime-Time Address Today On Israel, Ukraine Wars

Washington D.C./19.10.23/Turan:    U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver a rare prime-time speech tonight from the Oval Office on, as the White House put it, "our response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel and Russia’s ongoing brutal war against Ukraine.” TURAN's Washington correspondent reports. The speech will take place at 4:00AM Baku time.

The move comes as Biden just returned from a trip to Israel and his administration is expected to send the request to Congress later this week seeking additional funding to support both Israel and Ukraine .

Biden, delivering remarks in Tel Aviv yesterday, confirmed that he planned to ask Congress "for an unprecedented support package."

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One Wednesday as he returned, Biden said Israel "has been badly victimized but the truth is they have an opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go … it’s what they should do.”

Asked if he was disappointed that he had to cancel the stop in Jordan, Biden said, "No... I came to get something done. I got it done.."

He went on to add, "And right now, I have a very good relationship with the Jordanian king. It’s close.  I know him well, and — and I also spent time on the telephone in the past with the Palestinian Authority leadership."

According to National Security Council's John Kirby, the main reason why Biden didn't visit Jordan had to do with Tuesday's hospital explosion and that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas pulled out of the meeting "because of three days of mourning, which is of course completely culturally understandable."

"The decision not to go to Amman was made in a mutual way when the President spoke to the King... They both agreed that now was not the time to try to throw this meeting on, particularly with, you know, President Abbas making it very clear, understandably so, that he wanted to return home for three days of mourning,"

According to the White House, Biden, after leaving Tel-Aviv, spoke with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt.  "The two leaders discussed ongoing coordination to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and mechanisms to ensure the aid is distributed for the benefit of the civilian population. The two leaders agreed to work together closely on encouraging an urgent and robust international response to the UN’s humanitarian appeal," reads the White House readout.

Meanwhile, the White House also made it clear on Wednesday that it is doing "everything we can" to address the humanitarian crises by getting food and water and medicine to civilians in need.

“As we have constantly made clear, our support for Israel’s security is unwavering, and Israel has a right to defend itself from Hamas terrorists." Vice President Kamala Harris said at a reception in the Rose Garden.

"And let us be clear, terrorism is never justified. And as I said yesterday, Israelis and Palestinians must have equal measures of security and prosperity,” she added.

The U.S supports the right of Palestinian people to dignity, security, and self-determination. “HAMAS does not represent these aspirations,” Harris concluded.

Alex Raufoglu