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US President Joe Biden: "While I continue to focus on improving the humanitarian situation, many civilians remain in danger"
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP / dpa
Because of the war in the Gaza Strip, US President Joe Biden has ordered an 18-month ban on deportations for Palestinians. Biden issued the order “in light of the ongoing conflict and the humanitarian situation on the ground,” said his national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Wednesday in Washington.
The US President's decision will provide Palestinians living in the US with "a temporary safe haven," said Sullivan. However, anyone who voluntarily returns to the Palestinian territories will lose their protection.
“While I continue to focus on improving the humanitarian situation, many civilians remain in danger,” Biden said, referring to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. According to the New York Times, around 6,000 Palestinians living in the USA will benefit from his order.
The deportation ban was enacted at a time when criticism of Biden's support for the Israeli offensive in Gaza is growing. There are fears among US Democrats that this could jeopardize Biden's re-election in November. Influential Biden aides recently traveled to the US state of Michigan, which has a large Muslim population, to speak to community representatives about their concerns about the Gaza war.
“Desperate need” for protection measures for Palestinians in the USA
There is "a desperate need" for protections for Palestinians in the United States, Abed Ayoub, executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said in a statement. »We see that the situation in Gaza and Palestine is not improving. The temporary deportation stop is a welcome measure and we are glad that it is being implemented," said Ayoub.
In response to Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, Israel launched a massive military operation in the Palestinian territory to destroy the radical Islamic group Hamas. The USA is an important supporter of Israel, but criticism is growing after the Israeli army's harsh actions in the Gaza Strip.
Biden's deportation stop for the Palestinians also touches on another controversial issue in the USA. The US President is facing massive criticism from opposition Republicans because of his immigration policy, particularly because of the many illegal border crossings from Mexico. The Republicans in the US House of Representatives are using the immigration dispute to justify their blocking of a billion-dollar aid package for Israel and Ukraine.
eru/AFP/Reuters