Biden: "Israel and Ukraine Victory Crucial to US Security"… Announces Emergency Budget Support (Comprehensive)

Sent Emergency Budget Proposal to Parliament on the 20th
Reaffirmed Humanitarian Support for Palestine
Budget Expected to Exceed 100 Billion Dollars

U.S. President Joe Biden on the 19th (local time) defined the current moment, with multiple wars occurring simultaneously, as a historic turning point and announced that he would undertake large-scale emergency security support, including aid for Israel and Ukraine, which are at war.

U.S. President Joe Biden held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on the 18th (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]

In a nationwide address from the White House Oval Office that evening, President Biden emphasized, "We are now at a historic turning point," and stated, "The victory of Israel and Ukraine is crucial to the national security of the United States."

He said, "Tomorrow (the 20th), I will request an emergency security budget from Congress that includes support for our key allies Israel and Ukraine," adding, "This is a wise investment that will benefit U.S. security for generations to come."

President Biden continued, "If international conflicts continue, the strife and chaos will spread to other parts of the world," criticizing, "Hamas and Vladimir Putin represent different threats, but they share one thing in common: they both seek to annihilate neighboring democratic countries."

He stated, "Israel must have everything necessary to protect itself," and added, "The budget I will request from Congress will be unprecedented in scale, and it will further sharpen Israel's elite forces."

He also pledged, "We will ensure that the Iron Dome (Israel's missile defense system) continues to protect Israeli airspace," and said, "We will make it clear to hostile actors in the region that Israel is stronger than ever, and we will prevent this conflict from escalating."

President Biden further said, "Minor political fights must not obstruct our responsibilities as a great nation," and urged Congress to promptly pass the security budget, stating, "We cannot allow terrorists like Hamas or dictators like Putin to win. I refuse to let that happen."

Regarding a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, he said, "We cannot abandon the two-state policy," and added, "Israel and Palestine both have the right to live safely, with dignity, and in peace."

He also reaffirmed his intention to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian Gaza Strip. Earlier, during his visit to Israel on the 18th, President Biden announced in a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would provide $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the budget bill that President Biden will send to Congress is expected to exceed $100 billion. Major foreign media outlets predict that the budget will include $14 billion for Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine, $10 billion for urgent humanitarian aid, and $14 billion for border security. Approximately $7 billion is also expected to be allocated for the Indo-Pacific region.

However, the passage of the budget bill is expected to face difficulties. While the Republican Party, the majority in the House of Representatives, agrees on urgent support for Israel, there is opposition, mainly from hardliners, regarding aid for Ukraine.

In particular, the vacant position of the Speaker of the House has not been filled, making swift passage difficult. All administration budgets must be approved by the House, and until the next Speaker is elected, budget approval is practically impossible. Therefore, the House is reportedly considering expanding the authority of the temporary Speaker to prioritize the security budget.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.