Joe Biden’s administration is full of chaos even in its final days. But this incident took things to a whole new level.
As security were rushed to the scene during wild Biden admin press conference.
Tensions boiled over during Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference on Thursday, as reporters clashed with State Department officials after the announcement of an Israel-Hamas cease-fire and hostage deal. Accusations of allowing a “genocide” in Gaza led to dramatic scenes, with journalists forcibly removed from the room.
State Department staff escorted Max Blumenthal of Grayzone News out of the briefing room, while security guards physically dragged independent journalist Sam Husseini from the scene.
The chaos erupted as Blinken praised the newly brokered cease-fire, which had been proposed in May and was slated to take effect on Sunday.
Blumenthal and Husseini voiced outrage over the 15-month conflict in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. The war has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, prompting sharp criticism from human rights groups and activists.
“Criminal!” shouted Husseini as he was carried out by three guards, according to footage shared on X (formerly Twitter). “Why aren’t you in The Hague! Why aren’t you in The Hague!”
https://x.com/willy_lowry/status/1879930156644811084
Husseini also accused the State Department of stifling press freedom, saying he had been ignored after being told by spokesman Matt Miller that his questions would not be addressed. On his X account, Husseini later wrote that he “tried to ask a series of questions. Was carried out and handcuffed. Completely excessive force.”
Blinken had attempted to maintain order, instructing journalists to “respect the process” and promising opportunities for questions after his remarks. However, Husseini responded sharply, saying, “Everybody from Amnesty International to the ICJ [International Court of Justice] is saying that Israel is doing genocide and extermination, and you’re telling me to respect the process?”
Before Husseini’s removal, Blumenthal interrupted the proceedings with pointed questions. “Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May?” he asked, referencing the delay in halting the conflict. “Why did you allow my friends’ homes in Gaza to be destroyed?”
The newly announced cease-fire agreement involves a 42-day cessation of hostilities, allowing for the evacuation of Israeli and American hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
During this period, the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw, humanitarian aid will enter Gaza, and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure will begin.
The deal, which Netanyahu’s government faced pressure to oppose, also allows for phased prisoner releases. Thirty-three of the 100 hostages, including seven Americans, will be freed in the first phase.
The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attacks, during which 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, were k*lled.
The cease-fire agreement is scheduled for a vote in Israel’s Knesset on Friday, with implementation set for Sunday, the day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Despite the cease-fire, the Biden administration faced ongoing scrutiny. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated in May 2024, “We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition,” while also emphasizing Israel’s responsibility to safeguard civilians.
Meanwhile, a January 2024 preliminary report from the International Court of Justice declared that Israel had not done enough to prevent “genocide” against Palestinians but refrained from demanding an immediate halt to the conflict.
Blinken also acknowledged that Israel’s actions in Gaza could reasonably be assessed as violations of international humanitarian law. Yet those sentiments haven’t done anything to get radical pro-Palestinian reporters off his back, as seen in his final press conference.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
