Biden Secretary of State Antony Blinken deleted a post on X Twitter Monday a day after posting a call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This is the second tweet by the State Department calling for restraint by Israel that has been posted and deleted since the horrific Hamas attack Saturday on civilian and military targets in Israel.
File screen image.
Blinken posted on Sunday, “Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and I spoke further on Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel. I encouraged Türkiye’s advocacy for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas immediately.”
Screen image via Mary Katherine Ham X Twitter.
The day before, Blinken posted about a previous call with Fidan that was more on message, “Turkish Foreign Minister @HakanFidan and I discussed Hamas’ attacks on Israel. Israel has the right to defend itself, rescue any hostages, and protect its citizens.”
Turkish Foreign Minister @HakanFidan and I discussed Hamas’ attacks on Israel. Israel has the right to defend itself, rescue any hostages, and protect its citizens.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 7, 2023
On Saturday the State Department’s Office of Palestinian Affairs tweeted and deleted after blowback, “We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred. We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing.”
.@USPalAffairs deleted it but here’s what they tweeted: pic.twitter.com/6NvEyrMltd
— Darin Miller (@DarinBMiller) October 7, 2023
Jonathan Schanzer with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies posted about the Turkish official Blinken made common cause with, “I repeat: Hakan Fidan was the intelligence chief who presided over the establishment of a Hamas headquarters in Turkey that included an active terrorist commander directing attacks in the West Bank, Saleh al-Arouri. Arouri yesterday boasted about the capture of dozens of Israeli civilians. He continues to travel in and out of Turkey. Arouri has also established rocket teams and arsenals in Lebanon to draw Israel into an another front. Turkey has not turned him over despite a @RFJ_USA…And here is Fidan, now posing as a diplomat, acting as if he is a neutral party. What a joke. And @SecBlinken is the butt of it. I am truly embarrassed that Blinken is allowing himself to be part of this charade.”
Arouri yesterday boasted about the capture of dozens of Israeli civilians. He continues to travel in and out of Turkey. Arouri has also established rocket teams and arsenals in Lebanon to draw Israel into an another front. Turkey has not turned him over despite a @RFJ_USA
— Jonathan Schanzer (@JSchanzer) October 9, 2023
And here is Fidan, now posing as a diplomat, acting as if he is a neutral party. What a joke. And @SecBlinken is the butt of it.
I am truly embarrassed that Blinken is allowing himself to be part of this charade.
— Jonathan Schanzer (@JSchanzer) October 9, 2023
Late Monday morning the State Department posted a clean-up tweet on X, “The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. For the latest information on our response…”
The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. For the latest information on our response, visit: https://t.co/TjHvqg1nnP pic.twitter.com/PJFNp6V7bJ
— Department of State (@StateDept) October 9, 2023