The leadership of the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) released a statement on Thursday, criticizing Joe Biden for stating that he supports an immediate ceasefire during a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“President Biden is playing directly into the enemy's hands by undermining Israel’s effort to defeat Hamas. If the President wishes to help Israelis and Palestinians, he should do everything in his power to hasten the end of Hamas, not ensure their survival. Placing demands on Israel is not the answer to peace in the Middle East, and never has been,” said CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee.
“This war started after Hamas sent thousands of terrorists into Israel so they could rape and murder innocent Israelis. The 10/7 Massacre will not advance Palestinian interests, and no one associated with that atrocity will escape justice," added CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker. "The sooner both the Biden administration and Congress understand those simple facts and act accordingly, the sooner Israel will defeat Hamas, rescue the hostages, and restore stability to the region."
CUFI is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world, with over 10 million members.
US politicians react to Biden's statements
US Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson also reacted critically to Biden's comments in a post on X on Thursday.
The president’s ultimatums should be going to Hamas, not Israel. Hamas resisted a ceasefire, brought about needless bloodshed, and refuses to release Israeli and American hostages.Biden should not undercut our ally amidst an existential threat by conditioning our support.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) April 5, 2024
"The president’s ultimatums should be going to Hamas, not Israel. Hamas resisted a ceasefire, brought about needless bloodshed, and refuses to release Israeli and American hostages. Biden should not undercut our ally amidst an existential threat by conditioning our support," Speaker Johnson said in his post.
Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.) laid out his thoughts in a post as well, saying "Let’s put this idea of a ceasefire into perspective. You want Israel to stop fighting against an enemy that has no intention of ever stopping. There was a ceasefire, Oct 6. Then what happened on Oct 7? The biggest massacre of Israelis in recent history."
Let’s put this idea of a ceasefire into perspective. You want Israel to stop fighting against an enemy that has no intention of ever stopping. There was a ceasefire, Oct 6. Then what happened on Oct 7? The biggest massacre of Israelis in recent history. https://t.co/sKBK4pYaP2
— Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) April 5, 2024
"The rape of countless women. The burning of infants. The ruthless killing of civilians. War is ugly, but the blood of every civilian death is on Hamas. Not Israel. The demand is simple: Hamas must surrender totally & completely & allow a transition of power. Hamas can never have power again. If you care about Palestinian lives, that is what must happen," he added.
Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz didn't immediately respond but made a later post on X following comments from US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, which clarified that a ceasefire still includes the return of the hostages.
I commend the US for clarifying that any ceasefire in Gaza will be contingent upon the release of the hostages. We will continue to work together with our allies worldwide to preserve Israel's right to continue the War until the hostages are released and Hamas is decisively…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) April 5, 2024
"I commend the US for clarifying that any ceasefire in Gaza will be contingent upon the release of the hostages. We will continue to work together with our allies worldwide to preserve Israel's right to continue the War until the hostages are released and Hamas is decisively defeated," said Katz on X.
These statements come following Biden and Netanyahu's tense half-hour conversation following the incident in which the IDF accidentally killed 7 WCK humanitarian aid workers.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.