US President Joe Biden calls on the US Congress to approve emergency military aid to Israel and Ukraine.
– We cannot let petty, biased, angry politics stand in the way, he said in a speech to the nation.
The aid would contribute to the security of the United States for “generations”, he says in a speech to the nation during the night of Friday, Swedish time.
– Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they have one thing in common: They both want to completely destroy a democratic neighboring country, said Biden.
Biden’s “urgent budget proposal” will be submitted to the US Congress on Friday. It is expected to amount to 105 billion dollars in the next year, of which 60 billion dollars to Ukraine and 14 billion to Israel, AP writes.
Congress paralyzed
At the same time, the US Congress is paralyzed by political turmoil, after the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy, was forced out of office in early October. Without the speaker, the work of the chamber is at a standstill and no bills can be approved.
– We cannot let petty, biased, angry politics stand in the way of our responsibility as a prominent nation. We cannot and will not let terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin win. I refuse to let that happen, Biden said.
He warned that conflict and chaos risked spreading in several parts of the world. He specifically singled out Iran for supporting Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Middle East, as well as Russia in Ukraine.
At the same time, Biden urged the world not to give up hope for peace in the Middle East.
– We cannot give up on a two-state solution. Israel and the Palestinians equally deserve to live in security, dignity and peace.