Biden's visit offers solidarity during unprecedented times - editorial

Mr. President, when the wheels of Air Force One touch down on the tarmac of Ben-Gurion Airport today, you will encounter a nation torn, in pain, yet proud.

Never in history has the Israeli spirit absorbed such a devastating blow. The sudden and heinous attack by Hamas terrorists on the tranquil communities of Israel’s South – targeting civilians in their homes, even infants in their cribs – has shaken the entire world.

The sheer scale of the carnage, the accounts of the horrors, and the cold-bloodedness of the murderers – who meticulously and cruelly planned the slaughter of innocents – leave no heart unmoved. How can we recover from such a devastating blow, which challenges our basic belief in humanity?

Yet in the days that have passed since, amidst the shock and the pain, the battle-tested Israeli spirit has risen again, reinvigorated and resolute. The entire nation has donned various uniforms, some in the field, others symbolically. 

'We are not alone'

The country is filled with volunteerism and generosity on an unprecedented scale. With bowed heads but unwavering resolve, Israelis stand tall in the face of the immense challenge that this moment in time has thrust upon them. We all know that there can be no room for failure; in this war, we will prevail.

Your arrival today, in this trying hour, reminds us that this is not our war alone.

This unprecedented expression of solidarity – the first wartime visit to Israel by an American president – sends a powerful message to all Israelis and to the nations of the world, friends and foes alike. It is a striking testament to your personal commitment to the Jewish state and to that of your administration and of the American people. We are fortunate to have an ally and a friend like you.

As you have emphasized on numerous occasions, the deep and enduring alliance between Israel and the United States is based on shared values of freedom, prosperity, self-fulfillment, faith in humanity, and the future. The attack by Hamas sought to undermine precisely those values.

Your resolute stand alongside us – through both inspiring words and determined actions – has therefore deeply moved many Israelis. We now know that, in our time of crisis, we are not alone.

Yet our greatest shared challenge still lies ahead of us. The confrontation with Hamas is still in its initial stages, and it may yet extend to additional arenas. Hamas is not alone in its assault on the free world: Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons are determined to fight us and our values and their saber-rattling is finding expression in confrontations along Israel’s northern border that have already claimed multiple lives in recent days. At your order, substantial US forces have arrived in the region to deter them and ensure that their schemes do not succeed.

The Israeli people deeply appreciate America’s unwavering stand by their side. The assistance your people are providing us is both dramatic and unparalleled, and we are confident that the close collaboration between our two governments and militaries will guarantee that Israel has what it needs to protect its people from harm.

Yet even amidst the storm, we must remember that Israel is an independent and sovereign state, capable of making independent decisions and acting in the best interest of its citizens. Israel will never ask others to fight its battles; it can and will defend itself, by itself. The depth of our partnership and shared destiny also obliges us to recognize each nation’s capacity to make its own decisions.

In this moment of exceptional pain, the strength and endurance of the US-Israel alliance offer a measure of solace. The close bond we share has always carried us through periods of crisis and confidence, of tribulation and triumph. It will weather any storm and will buoy our nations as we find our way to safe harbor.

Welcome, Mr. President, thank you for standing with us, and after the dust settles and the battles end, may we also herald the coming of peace.

This editorial is being published jointly by The Jerusalem Post and our sister newspaper, Maariv.