Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s African excursion is off to a shaky start, much like his culinary attempts at Thanksgiving. After a long weekend in Nantucket—where many would expect to enjoy family gatherings and turkey leftovers—Biden made headlines for something a bit less savory: a particularly questionable choice in reading material. Among his vacation shopping, he was spotted with a book titled “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,” which might as well be ‘How to Lose Friends and Influence No One’ when it comes to relations with Israel. Nothing says holiday spirit quite like anti-Israel literature during Black Friday shopping.
The author of this literary gem, Rashid Khalidi, recently retired as Professor Emeritus at Columbia University. His track record includes less than subtle reflections on the Israeli government and its supporters, deftly fostering an environment where antisemitism flourishes, especially on college campuses. It’s a wonder he managed to retire without receiving an honorary ‘Misinformed Activist of the Year’ award. Democrats in general have increasingly adopted a disdainful view toward Israel, demonstrating a pattern of behavior that’s beginning to seem downright pathological.
DISGUSTING: President Biden is seen holding the anti-Israel book “The Hundreds Years’ War on Palestine.”
The book calls Israel a settler colonial apartheid country. Khalidi also justified the Oct. 7th massacre and called it legitimate resistance. pic.twitter.com/x8tS920edc
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) November 30, 2024
Responses to Biden’s rather conspicuous choice in literature haven’t been limited to the usual suspects. Even within the opposition, Khalidi’s son publicly noted his discomfort, imploring President Biden to remove the book from his “blood-soaked hands.” It’s worth noting that the term “blood-soaked” here fits like a glove, especially when reflecting on the rhetoric the Left often employs regarding Israel’s defensive measures against terrorism. If this isn’t political theater of the highest order, it should be auditioning for a role on Broadway.
Biden’s professed pro-Israel stance has faced serious scrutiny, particularly under the Biden-Harris administration, which has flip-flopped like a fish out of water. For all his claims of support for Israel, it’s easy to wonder whether he’s been more of a cheerleader for those who antagonize it. This is a stark juxtaposition to Donald Trump, who has solidified his pro-Israel reputation—capitalizing on a distinctly friendly relationship with Netanyahu and bridging gaps that previous administrations struggled to approach.
On significant anniversaries, like the deadly Hamas attacks last October, Biden and his administration appeared conspicuously absent, while Trump was actively engaging with pro-Israel rhetoric. At just about every turn, Biden’s actions seem less about steadfast support for a crucial ally and more about appeasing a base that finds anti-Israel sentiment trendy. The fruitcake of disorganization may be the Biden family tradition, but it is the American public that pays the price for their political dysfunction and shifting allegiances.
Amid all the turkey talk and literary choices, one underlying theme emerges starkly: Joe Biden may continue to present himself as a friend to Israel, but actions—and certainly questionable holiday reading choices—speak far louder than words ever could. And in this unfolding drama on the world stage, it hardly seems like the most popular book of the season came wrapped with a bow of diplomacy.
