{"id":2077303,"date":"2023-10-24T01:20:05","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T05:20:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-says-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself-but-warns-military-strategy-that-ignores-human-cost-could-backfire\/"},"modified":"2023-10-24T01:23:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T05:23:28","slug":"obama-says-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself-but-warns-military-strategy-that-ignores-human-cost-could-backfire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/obama-says-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself-but-warns-military-strategy-that-ignores-human-cost-could-backfire\/","title":{"rendered":"Obama supports Israel&#8217;s right to self-defense, but cautions against military tactics that disregard human suffering, as they may have negative consequences."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">42<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fobama-says-israel-has-right-to-defend-itself-but-warns-military-strategy-that-ignores-human-cost-could-backfire%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2077303&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Former\u2063 President Obama: Israel&#8217;s Right to Defend Itself Must Consider\u2063 Civilian Lives<\/h2>\n<p>Former President \u2062Barack Obama has reiterated his stance that Israel has a \u200bright to defend itself but warns that &#8220;any military strategy that ignores&#8221; the loss of civilian lives \u200cin Gaza could \u2064backfire for Israel and its allies.<\/p>\n<p>In a \u2062new\u200d Oct. 23 post shared\u200c on\u200c Medium,\u200d his second since the start of the conflict, \u2062President\u2062 Obama called \u200cthe Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the terrorist\u2063 group Hamas &#8220;horrific,&#8221; and applauded America&#8217;s stance of rightly\u2063 declaring &#8220;solidarity with the \u200bIsraeli people.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">The initial attack by Hamas \u200band \u2064ongoing rocket launches from Gaza have \u200dleft \u200bat least 1,400 Israeli soldiers and civilians dead. Ongoing retaliation\u200d air\u2062 strikes on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/palestinian-trying-to-leave-gaza-war-zone-tells-idf-hamas-blocking-civilian-exodus-5510576\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hamas targets<\/a> by Israel have reportedly killed over \u200c5,000 soldiers and civilians, and wounded \u2063at least another 14,000.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/media-manipulating-public-on-israel-hamas-war-lee-smith-5515410?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">Media Manipulating Public on Israel-Hamas War: Lee\u200b Smith<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/23\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/media-manipulating-public-on-israel-hamas-war-lee-smith-5515410?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n            <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/*\" https:><\/source>\n            <\/picture>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/despite-analysis-showing-israel-not-involved-initial-government-statements-on-gaza-hospital-will-remain-minister-blair-5515485?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">Despite Analysis\u200d Showing\u2063 Israel Not Involved, Initial Government Statements on Gaza Hospital Will Remain:\u200c Minister Blair<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/23\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/despite-analysis-showing-israel-not-involved-initial-government-statements-on-gaza-hospital-will-remain-minister-blair-5515485?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n            <picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/*\" https:><\/source>\n            <\/picture>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/hamas-has-fired-more-than-500-faulty-rockets-that-hit-gaza-israeli-military-5514654\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Israel&#8217;s military believes<\/a> \u2064 that Hamas could bear some of the responsibility\u2063 for the deaths \u2062in the Gaza \u2064Strip, with at least 550 of the terrorist group&#8217;s approximately 7,000 rocket launches misfiring\u2062 and landing inside the Gaza \u2063strip, \u200cadding to the destruction.<\/div>\n<p>President Obama says Israel has &#8220;a right to defend its citizens\u200c against such \u2062wanton violence,&#8221; he fully supports going after Hamas and &#8220;dismantling its\u2064 military capabilities,&#8221; while also demanding that Hamas\u2062 safely return the hostages it \u200bhas taken.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">At least\u2064 210 people, including 30\u2064 children, have been captured from Israel and taken into Gaza. Hamas has released its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/hamas-releases-2-american-hostages-after-negotiations-with-qatar-5514407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/live-updates-israel-bombards-gaza-as-war-spreads-to-other-fronts-5514930?ea_src=frontpage&#038;ea_med=top-news--0-large-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">four<\/a> hostages. The elderly husbands\u2063 of two of the four hostages <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/live-updates-israel-bombards-gaza-as-war-spreads-to-other-fronts-5514930?ea_src=frontpage&#038;ea_med=top-news--0-large-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">remain in Hamas captivity<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">However, the former president also <a href=\"https:\/\/barackobama.medium.com\/my-statement-on-israel-and-gaza-a6c397f09a30\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">warns<\/a> that even as we support Israel, Israel Defence Force (IDF) strikes\u2062 against Hamas\u2063 must follow international law and limit civilian casualties. President Obama did not\u200d take the\u200b opportunity to hold Hamas to the same requirements\u2014perhaps because such \u200bcannot be\u2064 expected of the terrorist group.<\/div>\n<p>The former president emphasized that doing so is an &#8220;enormously difficult\u200b task,&#8221; noting that military operations &#8220;often put civilians at risk.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">President Obama served two terms \u2064as\u2064 U.S. president between 2009 and 2017. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebureauinvestigates.com\/stories\/2017-01-17\/obamas-covert-drone-war-in-numbers-ten-times-more-strikes-than-bush\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reports<\/a> logged by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, between \u2062384\u2064 and 807 civilians were killed as a result of strikes in Pakistan, Somalia, and\u2063 Yemen during his time in office. The\u200c 563 strikes in these nations \u2063were conducted primarily by\u200d drones. \u200dStrikes in other regions such as Syria, Iraq, \u2064and Libya were not included in\u2062 the data.<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Rockets are fired by Hamas terrorists into Israel from Gaza City on Oct. 7, 2023. (Mohammed\u200d Salem\/Reuters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2>Adhering to International Law Crucial\u200b for Israel&#8217;s\u2062 Security<\/h2>\n<p>    President Obama said that following international law\u2062 is essential because of its morality, importance in building alliances, and shaping international opinion,\u200c all\u200d of which \u200bhe says are critical for Israel&#8217;s long-term security.\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Israel\u200b is \u2063still urging Gazan\u2062 civilians to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/palestinians-in-hamas-locations-told-get-out-from-there-now-as-israel-prepares-response-5505965\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">evacuate south<\/a> of Gaza City\u2064 away from Hamas locations and hideouts. An estimated 1.2 million \u2062people have been displaced in Gaza. Around 200,000 people\u200d have also been displaced in Israel. Hamas has been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/palestinian-trying-to-leave-gaza-war-zone-tells-idf-hamas-blocking-civilian-exodus-5510576\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accused of blocking Palestinian<\/a> civilians from leaving the war zone.<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;The world \u2062is watching closely as events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs \u2063could ultimately backfire,&#8221; President Obama said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s therefore \u200dimportant that those of us supporting Israel\u200d in its time of need encourage a strategy that can incapacitate Hamas while \u2064minimizing \u2064further civilian casualties.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Israel has undertaken\u2064 a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/israel-vows-complete-siege-of-gaza-as-israeli-death-toll-from-terror-attacks-rises-to-over-700-post-5506679\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;complete siege&#8221;<\/a> on the Hamas controlled\u2063 Gaza Strip since Oct. 9, cutting off the electricity, water, food, and fuel that enter Gaza from its territories. Aid has been entering Gaza from the southern Rafah crossing with Egypt.<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Israeli President Isaac Herzog <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Isaac_Herzog\/status\/1716195687954604276?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told<\/a> Sky News on Sunday that it \u2063was not Israel who was responsible for the complete severing of \u200cpower to the Gaza Strip. &#8220;That&#8217;s part \u200dof the distorted information. It was Hamas missiles which broke down the electricity infrastructure in Gaza,&#8221; he \u200dsaid.<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Israeli Minister\u2064 of Defence Yoav Gallant meets soldiers\u200b on\u200d the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip in Sderot, Israel, on Oct. 19, 2023. (Amir Levy\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">IDF reserve Lt. Col.\u2063 Jonathan Conricus <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/israel-not-carrying-out-collective-punishment-of-palestinians-liberal-senator-5514968\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recently highlighted<\/a> \u2063 Israel&#8217;s supply\u2062 of water\u2063 to Gaza only amounted to about 10 \u2064percent or less, and called\u2062 it &#8220;a bit absurd that we are asked\u2063 to provide \u2063sustenance to\u200d the very same enemy that is trying to \u2062kill us,\u201d adding that Hamas is known for &#8220;a \u2062cynical abuse of humanitarian aid&#8221; that prioritizes its needs over that of\u200c Gazan\u2064 civilians.<\/div>\n<p>President Obama is concerned that, despite Israel&#8217;s urgent calls for Gazans to evacuate south out of harms way as it\u200b increases military operations in the north, Israel&#8217;s efforts to \u200dneutralize Hamas in Gaza\u200d could \u200d&#8221;worsen a growing humanitarian crisis,&#8221; further\u200d harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode support\u2063 for Israel, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and \u2064stability in the region.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Israel has\u200d allowed Egypt\u200d and other nations to organize <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/israel-vows-to-increase-attacks-on-hamas-as-us-pushes-for-more-aid-into-gaza-5514678\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">humanitarian aid deliveries\u200d into Gaza<\/a> via the Rafah border crossing, which\u200b President Obama\u2064 called an \u200b&#8221;encouraging step,&#8221; but he urged for accelerating critical aid and supplies to an &#8220;increasingly desperate \u200dGaza population.&#8221;<\/div>\n<h2>Lasting Peace Will Require Agreement Among Leaders<\/h2>\n<div class=\"my-5\">The former president wants the international community to continue to engage with the Palestinian leaders who recognize Israel&#8217;s &#8220;right to \u200bexist,&#8221; to search for \u200da peaceful solution to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/bright\/the-sykes-picot-agreement-and-the-making-of-the-modern-middle-east-2066247\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">geopolitical territorial\u200d dispute<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">In\u200d the past, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/biden-two-state-solution-the-only-answer-to-israel-palestine-conflict-3826072?utm_source=partner&#038;utm_campaign=gp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a two-state solution<\/a> has been proposed, establishing two states for the people of the two communities: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for \u200cthe Palestinian people. Despite attempts in this direction, \u2064it has yet to materialize.<\/div>\n<p>President Obama also \u2063called for rejecting\u2062 anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian sentiments, and not lumping in all Palestinians with Hamas or other terrorist groups, while also recognizing that Israel has every right to exist.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Protests both \u2064in support\u200d of \u200dIsrael and Palestine have been taking place all over the world,\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/weapons-are-drawn-at-free-palestine-rally-in-oregon-5515425\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leading to division and \u200drising tensions<\/a> among the populace over which side in the conflict is more at fault.<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIn dealing \u200dwith what is an extraordinarily complex situation where so many people\u2063 are in pain and\u200d passions are \u2062understandably running high, all of us need \u200dto do our best to put our best values, rather than\u200c our worst fears, on display,\u201d \u200bPresident Obama said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u200d means rejecting efforts to minimize the terrible tragedy \u2063that the Israeli people have just endured, as well as the \u200bmorally-bankrupt\u200c suggestion that any cause can somehow justify the deliberate slaughter of innocent people.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>People mourn by \u2063the coffins of five members of\u2062 the Kutz family \u2063who were\u2063 killed\u200c in a Palestinian terrorists attack on their\u200c kibbutz of Kfar Aza, during their funeral in Gan Yavne town in central Israel, on Oct.\u200c 17, 2023. \u200b(Oren Ziv\/AFP via \u2064Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cPerhaps most of \u200call, it means we should choose not to always assume the worst in those with whom \u200dwe disagree,\u201d President Obama said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we care \u2064about keeping open the possibility of peace, security and dignity for future generations of \u2062Israeli and Palestinian children, \u200das well as for our own children, then it \u200dfalls upon all of us to at\u200d least make the effort to model, in our own words and\u200d actions, the kind of world we want them to inherit,\u201d \u2062he added.<\/p>\n<p>Officially known \u2063as the \u2062State of Israel, the country\u2062 has existed since 1948. The groundwork for Israel was \u2064laid many years \u2062prior, though, with the Balfour Declaration, a declaration by \u2064the \u2062British government to\u200c the \u200bestablishment of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Palestinians have \u200clived in disputed territories ever since; many were displaced when Israel was formed and continue to be forcibly ejected by a settler movement. Hamas denies Israel&#8217;s right to exist, and opposes \u2064Israeli occupation of \u2064territories \u200dit \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/hamas-attacks-whos-responsible-5506100\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">claims rightfully belong<\/a> to Palestine. It advocates for establishing an Islamic state by any means, including violence.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former President Barack Obama has restated his belief that Israel has the right to self-defense. However, he cautions that any military approach that disregards the civilian casualties in Gaza may have negative consequences for Israel and its allies. This is his second post on Medium regarding the ongoing conflict, published on October 23.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2454,"featured_media":2077304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2077303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2077303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2454"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2077303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2077303\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2077304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2077303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2077303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2077303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}