The White House has issued a scathing statement in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks that the US policy is responsible for the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas. The statement accused Putin of having “no credibility” on the issue and failing to condemn the “abhorrent” attacks by Hamas.
Putin criticizes US role in the Middle East
In his first public comments on the conflict since it erupted last week, Putin blamed the US for trying to “monopolize” the peace process and ignoring the interests of the Palestinians. He said that the current situation was a “vivid example of the failure of United States policy in the Middle East”.
Putin made these remarks during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani in Moscow on Tuesday, where they discussed the regional developments and bilateral cooperation . Putin also called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state as a solution to the conflict, saying that Russia had always supported this idea.
White House blasts Putin for lack of integrity
The White House did not take kindly to Putin’s accusations and issued a strong statement in reply. White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told Axios that Putin “has no credibility when it comes to the loss of innocent life” .He added that Russia’s “sickening failure” to condemn Hamas’ attacks and its “dishonest attempt” to equate both sides of the conflict were reprehensible.
Bates also reiterated the US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against the “unadulterated evil” of Hamas, echoing President Joe Biden’s speech on Tuesday. He said that any leader should have the integrity to call out Hamas’ behavior as Biden did, rather than blaming the US for the conflict.
Russia’s interests in the region
Russia has been one of the few countries that has not condemned Hamas for its rocket attacks on Israel, despite having close ties with Israel and its leaders over the past two decades. Putin has often said that Israel’s security is a priority for him, citing the large number of Russian-speaking Israelis . However, Russia has also maintained contacts with Hamas and other Palestinian factions, hosting official delegations in Moscow and offering mediation services .
Some analysts have suggested that Russia is interested in exploiting the conflict to undermine the US influence and unity in the region, as well as diverting attention from its own aggression in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his concern that Russia could use the war in Gaza to weaken Western support for Ukraine, which is facing a military threat from Moscow Zelensky also announced his intention to visit Israel soon to show solidarity with its people .
The US, on the other hand, is considering asking Congress for an emergency funding request that would include military aid to both Ukraine and Israel, as well as Taiwan and US border security . The US has also been actively involved in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation in Gaza, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaking to Israeli, Palestinian and regional leaders .
