Christian, Jewish leaders press Biden for stronger support of Israel

A coalition of more than 50 Jewish and Christian leaders published a full-page letter in an Israeli newspaper Wednesday accusing President Biden of a tepid response to the Hamas terror attack in Israel and urging stronger actions to support the Jewish state.

The letter, which ran in the Jerusalem Post, coincided with Mr. Biden’s one-day trip to Israel to express solidarity with the country still reeling from the Oct. 7 terror attack by the terrorist group.

American and Israeli faith leaders signed the letter, which urges Mr. Biden to push for a “total eradication” of Hamas and cautioned the president against pressuring Israel into a “premature cease-fire.”

“It is not sufficient for Israel to degrade or even defeat the brutal terrorist regime, which oppresses its own people, Israel must completely destroy every Hamas terrorist so that the evil is erased from human history,” the letter said. “If America pressures Israel into a ceasefire, Israel’s enemies will be emboldened and Israel imperiled, long into the future.”

Mr. Biden has called for the elimination of Hamas, but he also has warned Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid a growing humanitarian crisis in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Since Hamas carried out the deadly Oct. 7 terror attack, Israel has cut off food, electricity, and some water to Gaza. It has also ordered more than 1 million people living in Gaza to evacuate as Israeli troops have begun massing at the border.


The letter also called on Mr. Biden to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all 199 hostages held by Hamas, including an unknown number of Americans. It called the taking of hostages “an undisguised attack on America.”

“As Israel’s greatest ally, America must demonstrate unlimited and unqualified support for Israel and its righteous battle against Hamas,” it said.

Among those who signed the letter were David Friedman, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Trump.