Will someone please tell me what's the difference between a cease-fire and a humanitarian pause?
Now, here's Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a Senate hearing today. Take a listen:
ANTONY BLINKEN: … We do believe that we have to consider things like humanitarian pauses to make sure that assistance can get to those who need it and that people can be protected and get out of harm's way.
So, I remain confused. No cease-fire, but a humanitarian pause. Now, here's the Oxford Dictionary definition of a cease-fire: "a temporary suspension of fighting."
Today, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said this: "It is, however, the time to consider pauses in the fighting long enough so that folks like your relatives and family members can get this incredibly needed humanitarian assistance."
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Well, wait a minute. "Pauses in the fighting" sounds like a "cease-fire." In fact, pauses in the fighting sounds a lot like "a temporary suspension of fighting" — which is how the Oxford Dictionary defines a cease-fire. So, I'm still confused. Now, why do the Bidens obsess over this so-called "humanitarian pause"? Because they're trying to buy off the left wing of the Democratic Party.
OK, call it the far-left wing if you like, but they're the rotten apples of the Squad — they hate Israel, are totally antisemitic, and support the Hamas barbarians. These barbarians, by the way, murdered 1,400 civilians on Oct. 7. They didn't attack the Israeli military. They attacked defenseless civilians, who were mostly Israelis, but included Americans and people of many other countries.
But, back to the cease-fire. Or, is it a "pause?"
Prime Minister Netanyahu has a better idea: "We're going out of our way to prevent civilian casualties. Not only by asking civilians to move, calling them to move, arranging a place for them to be, which is safe. Also putting in humanitarian support... "
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In other words, Israel will supply the humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. Otherwise, as we all know, Hamas — or their pals in the U.N. — will steal the so-called "humanitarian aid" and that aid will be used to resupply the Hamas murderers. Mr. Blinken knows this. Gen. Austin knows this. Mr. Sullivan knows this. Mr. Kirby knows this, and President Biden knows this, too. This whole business about a "humanitarian pause" is just politics. Pure and simple.
Actually, the worst kind of politics, as Israel is fighting for its very existence. And, as the Wall Street Journal today editorializes, "while antisemitism is surging around the globe, even in the West, this shows how utterly important it is that Israel must win its fight for survival."
Shame on President Biden and company for playing politics during wartime, but even if Team Biden tries to put the cuffs on the IDF, Israel and its leaders won't let them.
This article is adapted from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary on the October 31, 2023, edition of "Kudlow."
