US President Joe Biden announced this evening (Tuesday) that he has invited the families of the American citizens who were kidnapped to Gaza to a meeting at the White House. This will be the first time that the American President has met with the families of the abductees face to face, after he had already spoken with some of the families by phone last October.
The White House announcement comes a day after it was reported in the US that the families of some of the abductees asked to come to the candle lighting event held last night at the White House in honor of the Hanukkah holiday - and were refused. The Biden administration did not respond to the reports.
As mentioned, last night Biden referred to the war in Gaza during the traditional candle lighting ceremony, when he reiterated his commitment to Israel's security and the right to defend itself and pledged that the administration he leads will never leave Israel. "You don't have to be Jewish to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist," he said to the audience.
Biden emphasized that American military aid to Israel will continue until, according to him, they "get rid of Hamas", but he reserved, saying that Israel should be careful because world public opinion can change and that must not be allowed to happen.
On the issue of the abductees, Biden said that Washington is working day and night to bring about their release. In addition, he mentioned the acts of rape committed by Hamas terrorists against women. "This is intolerable and we must all condemn it without reservation." According to him, "I understand that you are hurt by the silence and the fear. The increase in anti-Semitism in the US and in the world is sickening. He also stated that "there is no place for hatred in America against Jews, Muslims or anyone else."