President Biden Endorses Israeli Proposal: “Hamas Must Take The Deal”

May 31, 2024

Following President Biden’s announcement of the terms of an Israeli-led proposal releasing all the hostages and an end to the fighting, the Simon Wiesenthal Center released the following statement:

• Since the October 7th mass murder of Israelis by invading Hamas terrorists, it is Israel that has been viciously and unfairly attacked by the international community.
  
• Once again, Israel - whose citizens were and are victims of Hamas’ barbarity and unspeakable brutality - has made a comprehensive offer to try to save the hostages kidnapped and raped by Hamas, in return for the release of Palestinian terrorists.
  
• Israel’s extraordinary effort to end the hostilities is a moral imperative at a time when it is most difficult to do so.
  
• 
Going forward, if Israel’s plan is going to succeed, the US must continue to make clear to all parties that it fully and unequivocally supports the Jewish State’s right to defend itself from terrorism including Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

President Biden said that while the proposal has been shared with Hamas, it had not been formally accepted. “This is truly a decisive moment. Israel has made their proposal. Hamas says it wants a cease-fire. This deal is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it. Hamas needs to take the deal,” President Biden said.

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

About the Simon Wiesenthal Center:
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).