Republicans paint Biden as terrorist sympathizer

Senate Republicans deplored President Biden blaming his political aspirations and bowing to protesters for threatening to withhold arms shipments to Israel pending a major Rafah operation. 

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Republicans took turns calling Biden a "great friend to Hamas and Hezbollah" and a "mouthpiece for Hamas" with "schizophrenic national security policy."

This is all about Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin trying to take over the war in Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who organized the news conference, said. 

Israel has right to retaliate

"I got one message for Israel," Graham said. "Don't let them do it."

Graham drew comparison to Israel's need for the bombs being withheld to the United States' bombing of Dresden and use of the atomic bomb in Japan, adding there were no red lines in WWII. 

"All I can say if somebody had told us you're doing too much to destroy Germany and Japan after what they did, it would have fallen on deaf ears," Graham said. "Israel is trying to lower civilian casualties, Hamas is trying to increase civilian casualties. Therein lies our problem. 

Graham and his fellow Republicans pinpointed every civilian death in Gaza on Hamas, absolving Israel from any fault. 

"What is the right response to a group that rapes your women, puts your babies in an oven and threatens to do it again?" Graham said. "Drop bombs if you have to."

While the White House said an invasion of Rafah would embolden Hamas, Graham proclaimed the opposite. 

"Sinwar is feeling pretty good right now," Graham said. "The reason why they're not dancing in Iran is they just don't dance."

Graham said the daylight between the US and Israel will make the hostage deal harder and the deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel is less likely. 

The implications of Iran taking this as a sign of weakness is stronger, he added.

The Republicans are accusing Biden of withholding aid funded by the national security supplemental bill Congress passed last month, however; the White House confirmed in a press call on Thursday the $14.1 billion of defensive supplemental funding for Israel will not be impacted by this pause in arms shipment. 

Graham said he'll wait to see what's in the impending State Department report which assessed Israel's assurances of adherence to US and international law, calling the IDF a well-regulated militia that prosecutes people who violate the rule of law.