Current:Home > ScamsBiden says Hamas attacked Israel in part to stop a historic agreement with Saudi Arabia-VaTradeCoin
Biden says Hamas attacked Israel in part to stop a historic agreement with Saudi Arabia
View Date:2025-01-08 16:09:02
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday he thought Hamas was motivated to attack Israel in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.
“One of the reasons Hamas moved on Israel … they knew that I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden said at a fundraising event. The U.S. president indicated that he thinks Hamas militants launched a deadly assault on Oct. 7 because, “Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.
Jerusalem and Riyadh had been steadily inching closer to normalization, with Biden working to help bring the two countries together, announcing plans in September at the Group of 20 summit in India to partner on a shipping corridor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Biden on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September and told him, “I think that under your leadership, Mr. President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
The Saudis had been insisting on protections and expanded rights for Palestinian interests as part of any broader agreement with Israel. An agreement would have been a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in territory where Palestinians have long resided.
But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.
The Oct. 7 attack coincided with a major Jewish holiday. It led to retaliatory airstrikes by Israel that have left the world on edge with the U.S. trying to keep the war from widening, as 1,400 Israelis and 4,137 Palestinians have been killed. Hamas also captured more than 200 people as hostages after the initial assault.
veryGood! (69668)
Related
- Engines on 1.4 million Honda vehicles might fail, so US regulators open an investigation
- John Travolta and daughter Ella Bleu spotted on rare outing at Paris Olympics
- Sam Kendricks wins silver in pole vault despite bloody, punctured hand
- Save Up to 40% Off at The North Face's 2024 End-of-Season Sale: Bestselling Styles Starting at Just $21
- What do nails have to say about your health? Experts answer your FAQs.
- Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley Shares She's Been Diagnosed With Graves’ Disease
- Travis Kelce Credits Taylor Swift Effect for Sweet Moment With Fan
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Carlos Yulo Wins Condo, Colonoscopies and Free Ramen for Life After Gold Medal
- Digital Finance Research Institute Introduce
- Giannis Antetokounmpo's first Olympics ends with Greece's quarterfinal defeat in Paris
Ranking
- Wildfires burn on both coasts. Is climate change to blame?
- Astrology's 'Big Three': What your sun, moon and rising sign say about you
- 19 most memorable 'Hard Knocks' moments from HBO's NFL training camp docuseries
- Video shows the Buffalo tornado that broke New York's record as the 26th this year
- Michigan soldier’s daughter finally took a long look at his 250 WWII letters
- Two hikers reported missing in Yosemite National Park after going on day hike Saturday
- Boar's Head listeria outbreak triggers lawsuit against deli meat company in New York
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Laurie Hernandez Addresses Her Commentary After Surprising Beam Final
Recommendation
-
Tua Tagovailoa tackle: Dolphins QB laughs off taking knee to head vs. Rams on 'MNF'
-
Instructor charged with manslaughter in Pennsylvania plane crash that killed student pilot
-
'House of the Dragon' Season 3 is coming: What we know so far
-
Sammy Hagar calls Aerosmith's retirement an 'honorable' decision
-
BITFII Introduce
-
Creating NCAA women's basketball tournament revenue unit distribution on board agenda
-
Halsey Shares She Once Suffered a Miscarriage While Performing at a Concert
-
Are pheromones the secret to being sexy? Maybe. Here's how they work.