Joe Biden has sought to address anger on United States university campuses over his support for Israel amid the war in Gaza, as the US president delivered a graduation speech at a historically Black university attended by Martin Luther King Jr.
Biden’s graduation speech on Sunday at Morehouse College in Atlanta, in the election battleground state of Georgia, is aimed at encouraging Black and young voters to support him ahead of US elections in November.
“It’s a humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Biden said in his address on Sunday morning, adding that he is “working on a deal” to end the fighting and “build a lasting and durable peace”.
“Leadership is about fighting through the most intractable problem. It’s about channeling anger, frustration and heartbreak to find a solution. It’s about doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard and lonely,” he said.
The US president is expected to face a tight election contest against his Republican rival and predecessor Donald Trump, and he is trying to appeal to key segments of his Democratic Party base.
But Biden has faced widespread anger – particularly from progressives, youth and Black and other voters of colour – over his unwavering support for Israel amid the Gaza war.
More than 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the conflict began in early October.
Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from a protest for Gaza about 1km (less than a mile) from Morehouse College on Sunday morning, said the demonstrators believe Biden should not be giving the commencement address because of his Middle East policies.
Students had called on the school to cancel Biden’s speech over his support for Israel despite the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“Morehouse College has a history of social justice,” Fisher said.
“Its most famous alumnus is Dr Martin Luther King, who of course talked about how there should be equality…
Link from www.aljazeera.com
