In the aftermath of an unexpected attack on southern Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas, social media users, particularly on the platform X (previously known as Twitter), have been voicing criticism towards the Biden administration. Many believe that the recent decision to release frozen Iranian funds could have indirectly contributed to the recent surge of violence in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation in a video, declaring, “We are at war.” Disturbing footage from the Israeli town of Sderot showed Palestinian militants targeting civilians, leading to numerous casualties from rocket attacks launched from Gaza.
The online discourse surrounding the situation intensified, with people making connections between the U.S. decision to issue a waiver for the transfer of $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian assets from South Korea to Qatar and the recent attacks. This waiver allowed international banks to facilitate the transfer, with the aim of securing the release of five American detainees in Iran. Many drew a line between this deal and the financial support that Iran has long provided to Hamas.
Prominent voices joined the conversation, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who blamed Biden’s policies for enabling the attack. Trump stated, “Israel is now under attack by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. Iran has helped fund this war against Israel, and Joe Biden’s policies that have gone easy on Iran have helped fill their coffers.” He emphasized the need to stand with Israel in rooting out Hamas and to take a stand against Iran.
Numerous social media users echoed these sentiments. Afshine Emrani commented, “I’m sure the fact that Joe Biden gave $6,000,000,000 to Iran had nothing to do with Hamas declaring war on Israel on Shabbat.” Conservative commentator Vince Mansfield suggested that House Republicans should open an investigation into how the $6 billion sent to Iran by Biden was distributed, speculating whether any of it went to Hamas prior to the attack on Israel.
Representative Lauren Boebert emphasized the importance of Israel as a U.S. ally and highlighted the potential consequences of the administration’s financial decisions in the Middle East. Others, including Jack Posobiec and Mark Levin, expressed concerns that the administration’s approach might be indirectly facilitating conflicts in the region. Posobiec predicted that the funds would be used for terrorism and kidnapping in the Middle East, which he believed was happening in Israel at that moment. Levin criticized Biden’s “appeasement of the Palestinian terrorists” and blamed him for contributing to the Iranian terror state by transferring $6 billion.
Jake Wallis Simons, editor of The Jewish Chronicle, criticized the flawed US-led policy on Iran, highlighting how Hamas is being funded and equipped by Tehran. He accused the US of appeasing and enabling Iran in recent months, as billions of dollars flowed into the regime’s coffers.
Overall, the backlash on social media stemmed from the belief that the Biden administration’s decision to release Iranian funds indirectly contributed to the recent surge of violence in Israel. Critics argue that the financial support provided to Iran may have ended up supporting Hamas, ultimately leading to the attack. As tensions remain high in the region, the debate surrounding the U.S. role in the conflict continues online.
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