Delegates were flown to the Democratic convention in Chicago on August 21. When Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents spoke, their 23-year-old son, kidnapped by Hamas, was still alive. His body was found at the end of the week by the Israeli army in a tunnel under the city of Rafah. According to the Jewish state, he was shot dead at point-blank range by Hamas fighters, as were five other hostages.
Because of the public role played by their parents, Jon and Rachel, in the mobilization on behalf of the hostages and their many contacts with American officials, the emotion aroused was high in Washington. Adding to the family’s grief is the feeling that time is running out to save the prisoners who are still alive.
However, American officials refuse to put into words the current stalemate, as does a section of Israeli society, angry at its own government. Shortly before midnight on Saturday, August 31, Joe Biden and then Kamala Harris published a press release. The president said “devastated and shocked”, “with a broken heart” adding that “Hamas leaders pay[aie]nt for these crimes »in reference to Yahya Sinouar, their leader, who does not appear anywhere.
For her part, the vice president considered that this “evil terrorist organization” must be “deleted” and so? “Hamas cannot control Gaza.” Formulas taken from the jargon of the Israeli right over the last eleven months and which do not correspond to the operational analyses of the army itself, which is reluctant to remain in the ruined Palestinian territory.
Discrepancy with reality
In recent months, the Democratic candidate has made more empathetic comments than Joe Biden towards the tortured civilians of Gaza. But, two months before the presidential elections, he does not want to expose himself to the suspicion that he would turn his back on Israel, despite the mobilization and criticism of a part of the Democratic youth in several key states, such as Wisconsin or Michigan.
On Saturday, the vice president made no explicit reference to the administration’s months-long diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire. He would allow for the release of the hostages in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal and the release of several hundred Palestinian detainees. In mid-August, Joe Biden said ” optimistic “ on the imminent conclusion of the negotiations.
There was even talk among his entourage of a date, the end of the week of August 19, that of the Democratic convention in Chicago. Similar comments had already been made in previous months, without consequences, leading to a devaluation of American credibility. On Monday, September 2, Joe Biden will gather his team of negotiators at the White House to formulate a final offer in the coming days.
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