Bill Clinton Justifies The Mass Killings Of Palestinians In Racist Michigan Speech | EUROtoday

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As Vice President Kamala Harris begins to make her closing arguments earlier than the election, former President Bill Clinton determined to marketing campaign for her by lecturing Muslim Arab American voters who oppose the Biden administration’s help for Israel’s ongoing assaults in Gaza ― going as far as to justify the huge variety of Palestinian civilians killed by the navy.

The 78-year-old Democrat made the gorgeous remarks Wednesday at a Harris marketing campaign rally in Michigan, a vital swing state that has one of many largest Palestinian and Arab American communities. Those communities, each in Michigan and different states, have repeatedly voiced their hesitation to vote for Harris resulting from her stance on Gaza coverage, which is nearly unchanged from that of President Joe Biden.

Clinton known as that hesitation “a mistake.”

“I understand why young Palestinian and Arab Americans in Michigan think too many people have died, I get that,” Clinton mentioned to the quiet crowd in Muskegon. “But if you lived in one of those kibbutzim in Israel, right next to Gaza, where the people there were the most pro-friendship with Palestine, most pro-two state solution of any of the Israeli communities … and Hamas butchered them.”

Bill Clinton in Michigan:
“I understand why young Palestinian and Arab Americans in Michigan think too many people have died — I get that, but…”

“Hamas makes sure that they’re shielded by civilians, they’ll force you to kill civilians, if you want to defend yourself.” pic.twitter.com/cYzlsmWTGo

— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) October 31, 2024

Clinton’s declare that Arab Americans “think too many people have died” is in reference to the greater than 43,000 Palestinians killed by the Israeli navy since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel and killed 1,200 folks whereas taking about 250 hostage. The Israeli navy has additionally taken Palestinian civilians captive all through its offensive, and medical specialists estimate the Gaza dying toll to be a lot larger than native officers can tally.

In response to critics declaring the disproportionate casualties and collective punishment ― a violation of worldwide legislation ― the previous president mentioned he’s “not keeping score” however that Israeli forces must kill tens of 1000’s of Palestinians as a result of they’re allegedly human shields for Hamas.

It must be famous that the Israeli navy has not too long ago been accused of utilizing Palestinian civilians as human shields of their Gaza operations. International and U.S. legislation additionally warns in opposition to the indiscriminate killing of civilians, even when militants are allegedly embedded amongst them.

“What would you do if it was your family and you hadn’t done anything but support a homeland for the Palestinians? And one day they come for you and slaughter the people in your village?” Clinton mentioned. However, this additionally describes what the Israeli navy is presently doing to households in Gaza and the occupied West Bank ― a few of whom are family members of the Palestinian Americans he directed his remarks to.

Clinton echoed sentiments voiced by right-wing Israelis ― comparable to equating all Palestinians with Hamas fighters ― that work to dehumanize occupied folks so that giant civilian casualties are extra accepted within the public eye. The former president additionally argued that Israelis inhabited the land “before their faith existed,” referring to Islam ― a traditionally inaccurate declare framing Palestinians as simply Muslims when they’re, factually, a multifaith group largely descended from native Canaanites who’ve lived on the land for 1000’s of years.

“Bill Clinton’s racist and ahistorical remarks were meant to justify the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land. The Harris campaign is doing itself no favors attaching itself to that kind of hateful rhetoric,” a spokesperson for the Institute for Middle East Understanding informed HuffPost.

The Harris marketing campaign didn’t reply to HuffPost’s request for touch upon Clinton’s remarks, together with whether or not the candidate believes his feedback will assist her earn the votes of Muslim and Arab Americans. It’s unclear what the marketing campaign hoped to realize with such a speech simply days earlier than the election, given Harris’ ongoing wrestle to win the neighborhood’s belief in Michigan.

“Rumor has it the Dems want to send Bill Clinton to Dearborn to rally the Arab vote this weekend,” Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud posted on X. “Do us a favor – stop sending surrogates who have no respect or regard for this community. You’re only inflicting more damage.”

The Biden-Harris administration has supplied billions of {dollars} in weapons to Israel, which has used them to show Gaza right into a wasteland of rubble, sewage and corpses with hardly any well being care or assist. The State Department has but to take motion on nearly 500 stories it’s acquired claiming Israel used American weapons to trigger extreme civilian hurt in Gaza, in response to The Washington Post on Wednesday.

Despite pro-Palestinian voters and organizations calling for Harris to help an arms embargo to Israel, she has maintained that the U.S. will proceed its navy and diplomatic help for the nation accused on the worldwide degree of committing genocide.

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“Whether or not they end up losing Michigan, at this point Dems *deserve* to lose Michigan,” Mehdi Hasan, founding father of media outlet Zeteo, posted on X. “Sheesh.”


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bill-clinton-justifies-murder-palestinians-israel-michigan-kamala-harris_n_6723f929e4b0871068feb074