US President Joe Biden landed in Israel on Air Force One at 10:55 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

He was greeted on the tarmac by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, and US chargés d’affaires Stephanie Hallett.

After President Herzog greeted Biden, he said: “G-d bless you for protecting the nation of Israel.”

The leaders immediately traveled to the David Kempinski Hotel in Tel Aviv, where the meeting between Netanyahu and Biden will take place. Biden’s stay in Israel is scheduled to last for only five hours.

The Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway is completely closed to traffic at a number of intersections and 1,500 police officers are securing the streets.

In a joint press conference from Tel Aviv, Netanyahu began by thanking Biden: “I want to thank you for coming here today and for the unequivocal support you have given Israel during these trying times, a support that reflects the overwhelming will of the American people. I have seen your support every day in the breadth and depth of cooperation that we have had since the beginning of this war, a level of cooperation that is truly unprecedented in the history of the great alliance between our two nations.”

“We see that support in your steadfast commitment to provide Israel with the tools we need to defend ourselves and the clear message you’ve sent our enemies not to test our resolve and the two American aircraft carriers that you’ve sent to the region to back up those words with actions.”

“But above all, Mr. President, the world sees that support, and the moral clarity that you have demonstrated from the moment Israel was attacked. You’ve rightly drawn a clear line between the forces of civilization and the forces of barbarism. You described what Hamas did as ‘sheer evil.’ It is exactly that. Hamas murdered children in front of their parents and parents in front of their children. They burned people alive. They raped and murdered women. They beheaded soldiers. They searched for the secret hiding places where parents hid their children. Just imagine Mr. President – the fear and panic of those little children in their last moments as the monsters discovered their hiding places.”

“On October 7th, Hamas murdered 1,400 Israelis – maybe more. This is in a country of fewer than 10 million – the equivalent of 50,000 Americans murdered in a single day – that is the equivalent of twenty 9/11s. That is why October 7 is another day that will live in infamy. Mr. President, you rightly said that Hamas is worse than ISIS. The German Chancellor who visited here yesterday said that Hamas are the new Nazis – you’re both right. And just as the civilized world united to defeat the Nazis and united to defeat ISIS, the civilized world must unite to defeat Hamas.”

“Your visit is the first visit of an American president to Israel at a time of war. It is deeply deeply moving.”

In his remarks, Biden said; “I wanted to be here today for a simple reason: I want the people of Israel and the people of the world to know where the United States stands.”

“The terrorist group Hamas slaughtered over 1,300 people – and that’s not hyperbole – just slaughtered, slaughtered – including 31 Americans. They have taken scores of people hostage, including children. You said: ‘Imagine what those children hiding from Hamas were thinking.’ It’s beyond my comprehension to imagine what they were thinking, beyond my comprehension. They have committed evils and atrocities that make ISIS look somewhat more rational.”

“Americans are grieving with you, they really are. Americans are worried because they know this is not an easy field to navigate – what you have to do.”

“Israel, as they respond to these attacks, it seems to me that we have to continue to ensure that you have what you need to defend yourselves. And we’re going to make sure that occurs, as you know.”

“I am deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I’ve seen, it appears it was done by the other team, not you – but there’s a lot of people out there who are not sure. So we’ve gotta overcome a lot of things. And this also means encouraging life-saving capacity to help the Palestinians who are innocent, caught in the middle of this.”

“The world is looking. Israel has a value set like the United States does – and other democracies – and they’re looking to see what we’re going to do.”

Following their remarks, Biden met with Netanyahu in a meeting that lasted over an hour – double the time allotted for it. He then met with Israel’s war cabinet, held another brief press conference, and then met with President Herzog.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)