President Joe Biden said he hopes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas can go into effect early next week, while holding an ice cream cone during a taping of Seth Meyers’ comedy show.
Biden commented in New York after taping an appearance on Meyers’ ‘Late Night’ show on NBC, which was patrolled by anti-Israel protesters, continuing to show the growing pressure on the president from the left.
Asked when he thought a ceasefire could begin, Biden said, “Well, I hope it’s early in the weekend.” The end of the weekend. My national security advisor tells me we’re close. We are close. We’re not done yet. My hope is that next Monday we will have a ceasefire.”
As part of the taping, Biden and Meyers went to the Van Leeuwen ice cream shop next door. She chose a mint chocolate chip cone.
During the walk the president was asked when a ceasefire in Gaza could begin.
President Joe Biden said Monday, while holding an ice cream cone during the taping of Seth Meyers’ comedy show, that he hopes a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas can go into effect early next week.
Negotiations are underway for a week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to allow the release of hostages held in Gaza by the militant group in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The proposed six-week pause in fighting would also include allowing hundreds of trucks to deliver desperately needed aid to Gaza every day.
Negotiators face an unofficial deadline: the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10, a period when tensions between Israelis and Palestinians often escalate.
Protesters supporting a ceasefire in Gaza stormed the lobby of New York City’s Rockefeller Center to send a message to Biden, who was taking part in a taping of Meyers’ show upstairs.
The group noted that it was made up of American Jews, sporting T-shirts that said “Not in our name” and large signs that read: “Jews for Biden: End Israel’s siege of Gaza.”
They chanted ‘end the siege of Gaza now’ and ‘Biden, Biden, you can’t hide…’
In a video from the scene, a New York City Police Department officer uses a megaphone to inform the crowd. They will be arrested for trespassing if they do not disperse.
Several protesters were then seen being arrested by the NYPD.
Biden commented in New York after taping an appearance on Meyers’ ‘Late Night’ show on NBC, which was patrolled by protesters, continuing to show the growing pressure on the president from the left.
As part of the taping, Biden and Meyers went to the Van Leeuwen ice cream shop next door. She chose a mint chocolate chip cone.
A Palestinian carries a baby in front of buildings destroyed during Israeli attacks in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza.
Pro-Palestinian protesters storm NBC’s Rockefeller Center lobby where US President Joe Biden will appear on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ in New York
Protesters took over the lobby of 30 Rock on Monday while President Joe Biden was taping an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers upstairs.
Pro-Palestinian protesters broke into the lobby of New York’s Rockefeller Center to send a message to President Joe Biden, who was participating in a Late Night With Seth Meyers taping upstairs.
The protesters were calling for a ceasefire to save Gaza’s civilian population from the Israeli army, which has been trying to eradicate Hamas after the October 7 terrorist attack.
Biden was a surprise guest on the 10th anniversary episode of Meyers’ late-night show.
It was the latest example of far-left anti-Israel protesters trying to influence Biden.
He already faces a tough challenge ahead in the state of Michigan, which has the highest percentage and number of Arab Americans in the United States at more than 211,000 or 2.1 percent.
Support for the president in the state has wavered among progressives and young people over his support for Israel as it carries out its war in Gaza following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
Michigan voters head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries.
But some activists are encouraging Democrats to vote “no compromise” instead of for Biden over his support for funding Israel.
The “Listen to Michigan” movement, which has been urging Michigan Democrats to vote “non-committed” on Biden’s Gaza policy, said it can show they have Biden’s “margin of victory for re-election.”
More than 40 Democratic elected officials in the state have pledged to vote “no compromise” in Tuesday’s primary.
Ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary, the new poll found that 75 percent support Biden, while 9 percent plan to vote uncommitted, 5 percent support Dean Phillips and 12 percent are undecided.
The poll found that 28 percent of voters under 30 plan to vote “uncommitted” on Tuesday, which could signal major problems for Biden in November as Democrats tend to draw more support from young people as a winning coalition. .
Protesters demonstrate at the University of Michigan on February 20 against Biden’s support for Israel and demand a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Pro-Palestinian activists have been urging Democratic voters to vote “uncommitted” rather than for Biden in Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary. Polls found that 28 percent of young voters plan to vote “uncommitted”
Search and rescue operations in the rubble of a collapsed building after an Israeli attack on Khan Yunis, Gaza, on February 26.
Israel has long been the United States’ closest ally in the Middle East, and the war has put Biden between a rock and a hard place politically. He has been urging Congress to pass a funding package that includes aid to Israel. At the same time, earlier this month he called Israel’s military operation in Gaza “overblown.”
As the president faces a political setback over Israel in Michigan, the group PrimaryPivot focused on keeping Trump out of office has sent more than 260,000 text messages to Michigan voters ahead of the primary focusing on the war in Gaza, warning them that Don’t vote for Biden could help re-elect Trump.
Meanwhile, heading into the Republican primary, 69 percent of Republican primary voters back Trump, 20 percent back Nikki Haley and 11 percent are undecided.
Looking ahead to the potential showdown in the general election, the new Michigan poll found that male voters leaned toward Trump by 53 to 41 percent, while women voted for Biden by 46 to 41 percent.
Michigan independent voters also voted for Trump 43 percent to Biden’s 37 percent.