President Biden styles himself as a faithful Catholic. Nothing could be further from the truth.
And Joe Biden made a shocking claim about Pope Francis.
During a phone discussion with President Biden on Sunday, Pope Francis praised America’s “game plan” in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“The pope and I are on the same page,” Biden said at an unrelated economic event near the White House on Monday afternoon.
“He was very, very interested in what we were doing to deal with some of the crises that we are facing, particularly in Israel this time around,” the nation’s second Catholic president told reporters.
“And I laid out to him what the game plan was, how we thought we should be providing the kind of assistance to Israel that they needed. And the pope was across the board supportive of what we’re doing.”
As the Israeli government tries to end Hamas rule of Gaza, Pope Francis has urged for peace rather than prolonged conflict.
Last week, Biden claimed credit for persuading Egypt and Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza via a long-closed Egyptian border crossing.
The 80-year-old president has also spoken out in support of Israel’s right to fight the terrorist group, and he visited Tel Aviv last week in a show of solidarity with Israel after Hamas massacred over 1,400 people, including 32 US citizens, in a surprise onslaught on villages in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
On Friday, Biden asked Congress for $14.3 billion to provide Israel’s military with both defensive and offensive weapons.
According to the New York Times and Fox News, the US has privately urged Israel to postpone its planned ground attack in order to allow for the negotiated release of more prisoners.
On Friday night, Biden appeared to publicly urge for Israel’s invasion plans to be halted, responding “yes” when questioned about the likelihood — before a spokeswoman argued that his boss “didn’t hear the full question” and didn’t want to communicate that position.
Pope Francis said last week, “I call on all believers to take only one side in this conflict — that of peace, not with words but with prayer.
“The victims are increasing, and the situation in Gaza is desperate,” the pope said.
“May please everything, everything, be done to avoid a humanitarian disaster, and it’s possible that this war might grow. War does not solve any problems. It only sows death and destruction.”
It’s hard to believe the Holy Father believes the Biden administration’s escalation of tensions is in line with peace.
But Biden can say anything he wants since the conversation is private.
As it stands, White House spokesperson John Kirby say the US believes up to ten Americans are still being held captive in Gaza. So long as they are there, we have an interest.
Two were made public on Friday. Hamas released two additional Israeli citizens as prisoners on Monday.
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