By Dr Ziad Al-Alyan

I tried extremely hard not to comment on the images of a smiling Joe Biden celebrating his birthday and pardoning two turkeys on Thanksgiving and making jokes about his age. At the same event, he was characteristically confused, mixing up Britney Spears and Taylor Swift in further comments he made. There is nothing cute about these scenes while innocent children are being slaughtered daily by a war he has sanctioned.

UN statistics reveal that more than 400 children are being injured or killed on a daily basis. Every day the international community procrastinates is another 400 children being victimized. When the most influential protagonist spends a few hours on the lawn with a couple of turkeys making jokes, that’s another 200 kids killed or injured! Some Americans might find these comments offensive, as Thanksgiving is an occasion traditionally celebrated and “we can celebrate any way we want”.

Yes, agreed, and I would never dream of criticizing the American president’s behavior or what he chooses to spend his time on. That’s for the American people, unless of course the US is actively taking a significant role in the events taking place in the Middle East by directly influencing the course of events and becoming the main protagonist in this conflict.

It is under this premise that I and other Arabs give ourselves the right to hold Biden accountable to us. The bombardment still continues in Gaza, the killing of innocent civilians has not halted and the genocide continues. Meanwhile, in the US, the propaganda continues in violation of the First Amendment and the persecution of anyone who dares to stand with Palestine or utter the word “ceasefire”.

The Zionist lobby has worked very hard to ensure that peaceful protest is perceived as directing hate towards the Jewish people. The phrase “ceasefire” becomes synonymous with antisemitism and waving the Palestinian flag is analogous to waving the swastika! All of the above is a false representation of ideas with the intention of deterring people from empathizing or exercising their right to an opinion or protest against injustice.

Susan Sarandon is the latest celebrity to get cancelled recently because of her views on the Palestinian crisis. She is one of many Hollywood celebs who have literally committed career suicide by being brave enough to speak the truth. Celebrities are being harassed daily to comment in favor of the Zionist entity. Those that dare to comment in favor of Palestinians against are quickly labelled as promotors of hate and antisemitic.

The rhetoric is that they have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form. Organizations can take any measure they want against employees without the fear of repercussions by simply accusing them of antisemitism. This phrase is the ace in a deck of cards that allows them to do whatever they want indiscriminately.

I will end this article with my best birthday wishes to Joe Biden. I hope at the tender age of 81, he will discover some respect for human life outside his country’s borders. I hope he listens to the 70 percent of his young electorate who believe he is mishandling the crisis in Gaza, as was published by CNN recently.

My faith is not in the president of the United States, who has been an advocate for Zionism since his early days, nor is my faith in the presidential candidates who all need Zionist support during the upcoming elections. My faith rests with the American people whose eyes have been uncovered recently; only they can positively influence their leaders to do the right thing.