Biden dials Netanyahu, says US backs Israel’s ‘right to self-defence’

Tel Aviv, October 7

US President Joe Biden on Saturday held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and affirmed full support for Israel’s right to self-defence amid the “surprise attack” by Hamas.

Netanyahu also thanked Biden for the “unreserved support” and stressed that a “prolonged campaign” was necessary.

“US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasised that the US stands alongside Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to self-defence,” the official handle of Israel PM posted on X.

“PM Netanyahu thanked US President Biden for the unreserved support and made it clear that a forceful, prolonged campaign, which Israel will win, is necessary,” it added.

President Biden also posted on X, condemning the "appalling Hamas terrorist attacks" and expressed his condolences. “Today, I spoke with the Israeli PM about the appalling Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. I offered our support and reiterated my unwavering commitment to Israel's security. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones,” Biden stated. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed “unequivocal condemnation” of the Hamas attacks. "We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," Blinken posted on X.

Earlier in the day, the US said that there is never any "justification for terrorism", adding that Washington stands firmly with the Government and people of Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired a meeting with some top defence officials on Saturday and said the Palestinian people had the right to defend themselves against the "terror of settlers and occupying troops”, a news agency quoted him as saying. He directed officials "to provide protection for the Palestinian people and provide all that is necessary to bolster the resilience of the Palestinian people in facing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and settler gangs", it reported. — Agencies

Colossal intelligence failure as Israel caught unawares: Experts

Jerusalem: The Saturday morning's surprise and unprecedented attack by Hamas is a result of a colossal failure of Israel's intelligence, media reports and experts have said. A report in Jerusalem Post, a leading newspaper, said, “With Israeli normalisation agreements growing in the region, Hamas seemed to present an outdated ideology living in the past. This seems to have lulled people into a false sense of security.” Against the repeated warnings following every escalation that a truce would only help Hamas and other Islamic organisations to rebuild their strength for the next round, Israel had agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas recently, which, some experts said, warnings ignored because of domestic constraints of politics. PTI

Brazil to call emergency meeting of UNSC

Brasilia: Brazil’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday it would convene an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council following the biggest attack on Israel in years. Brazil, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, condemned the attacks in a public statement and expressed solidarity with the people of Israel. Reuters

17 Nepalese held captive

Kathmandu: Seven Nepali students, who were working in an agriculture firm in Israel, have been injured in attacks while 17 others have been held captive, Nepalese Ambassador to Israel said. IANS

World reacts

France shows solidarity with israel

I express my full solidarity with the victims, and their families and those close to them. — Emmanuel Macron, French President

Violence must stop

We call for immediate cessation of violence. We are following the unprecedented developments which have led to the violence. — Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry

Deeply shocked

Terrifying news reaches us today from Israel. We are deeply shocked by the rocket fire from Gaza and the escalating violence. — Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor

Travel advice

I’m shocked by the attacks. We’re in contact with Israeli authorities, and British nationals in Israel should follow travel advice. Rishi Sunak, UK PM

Israel has right to defend itself

We condemn the terror attack on Israel. Israel’s right to defend itself cannot be doubted. — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President

Restore truce

We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to implement an immediate ceasefire, renounce violence and exercise the necessary restraint. — Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson

Stand with Palestinian fighters

We will stand by the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem. — Yahya Rahim Safavi, adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei

Major flare-ups since 2005

Aug 2005 Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza 38 years after capturing it from Egypt in the Middle East war

Jan 25, 2006 Hamas wins majority seats in a Palestinian legislative election. Israel and the US cut off aid to Palestinians as Hamas refuses to renounce violence and recognise Israel

June 25, 2006 Hamas militants capture Israeli army conscript Gilad Shalit, prompting Israeli airstrikes and incursions. Shalit is freed more than five years later in a prisoner exchange

June 14, 2007 Hamas takes over Gaza in a brief civil war, ousting Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Dec 27, 2008 Israel launches a 22-day military offensive in Gaza after Palestinians fire rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot. About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis reported killed before a ceasefire is agreed

Nov 14, 2012 Israel kills Hamas’ military chief of staff Ahmad Jabari. Eight days of Palestinian militant rocket fire and Israeli air strikes follow

July-Aug 2014 The kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas leads to a seven-week war in which more than 2,100 Palestinians reported killed in Gaza, 73 Israelis dead

March 2018 Palestinian protests begin at Gaza’s fenced border with Israel. Israeli troops open fire. More than 170 Palestinians reported killed in several months of protests, which also prompt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces

May 2021 Hundreds of Palestinians wounded in clashes with Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem. After demanding Israel withdraw security forces from the compound, Hamas unleashes a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel hits back with air strikes on Gaza. Fighting goes on for 11 days, killing at least 250 persons in Gaza and 13 in Israel

Aug 2022 44 persons killed in three days of violence that began when Israeli airstrikes hit a senior Islamic Jihad commander

Jan 2023 Islamic Jihad in Gaza fires two rockets towards Israel after Israeli troops raid a refugee camp and kill seven Palestinian gunmen and two civilians. Israel responds with air strikes on Gaza. Reuters

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