United States (US) President Joe Biden claimed that the recent announcement of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which unites the whole region with a network of rail, ports, and roadways, was one of the catalysts for Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. "I am convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did, and I have no proof of this, just my instinct tells me, is because of the progress we were making towards regional integration for Israel, and regional integration overall. We can't leave that work behind," Biden said.
Israel-Hamas war enters 20th day
These statements were made by the US President during a joint press conference with Australian PM Anthony Albanese on Wednesday (US local time) as the Israel-Hamas war entered its 20th day. During the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
About India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
According to sources, the corridor will promote and accelerate economic development by enhancing connectivity and fostering economic integration between Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The East Corridor, which links India to West Asia/Middle East, and the Northern Corridor, which connects West Asia/Middle East to Europe, will make up the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
In addition to the current multi-modal transport routes, it will feature a rail line which will offer a dependable and reasonably priced cross-border ship-to-rail transit network, and improve the transhipment of goods and services between South East Asia through India to West Asia/Middle East Europe. Recently, Biden had praised the corridor, stating that the project will encourage investment opportunities spanning two continents. According to him, the rail port project is a component of the endeavour to construct an integrated, more sustainable Middle East.
No going back to the "status quo" in Israel: Biden
On Wednesday, Biden also condemned the attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. He said there is no going back to the “status quo” in Israel and the region following the deadly attack by Hamas earlier this month.
“When this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next. And in our view, it has to be a two-state solution.”,” Biden said during the press conference.
Biden said again that he believed Israeli had the "right and the responsibility" to respond to the attack. “The anger, the hurt, the sense of outrage that the Israeli people are feeling” following the attack is “completely understandable,” he said. But he also decried the attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and said it must stop and “stop now". Biden also stressed that he remains focused on humanitarian aid to Gaza.
(With inputs from AP)
