President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of peace in Lebanon and an end to the current killing in Gaza in his farewell speech to world leaders at the UN General Assembly, but many believe both results are impossible anytime soon.
In response to the rising confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah, Biden stressed during his speech that a diplomatic solution is still feasible. "A full-scale war is not in anyone's interest."
As the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza approaches, Biden urged the parties involved to "finalize the terms" of a cease-fire and hostage agreement approved by the United Nations Security Council.
The US is still committed to Ukraine, Biden said, adding, "We cannot grow weary." We will not stop providing support to Ukraine until it achieves just and sustainable peace, as we cannot remain silent.
The announcement that Biden will not compete for reelection was a significant point of his speech, and the assembled international leaders responded with an exuberant ovation.
"My fellow leaders, let us never forget: there are some things more important than staying in power," Biden added. "It's your people," emphasizing that servicing the people should come before advancing political objectives.
Nevertheless, during Biden's 25-minute speech, other delegations, especially those from China and Russia, remained silent and did not applaud a single word he said.
Biden was extremely concerned about the condition of affairs in the Middle East, particularly the situation in Gaza, and was pressuring world leaders to intervene.
The United States was one of the 14 countries that voted against the resolution, which called on Israel to cease its occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. The U.S. position on the Gaza crisis stands in stark contrast to the overall stance of the U.N. General Assembly.
The United States is in favor of opposing "unilateral measures that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution," according to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who made this statement after the vote.
In addition, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged a "just peace" in Ukraine while alerting people to alarming global trends and the enduring "age of impunity."
"The war in Ukraine is spreading with no signs of letting up," stressed Guterres. The cost to civilians is growing death tolls, broken lives, and fractured communities.
Along with his concerns about the worsening situation in Lebanon, he also addressed the current conflict in Gaza, calling it a "nonstop nightmare that threatens to take the entire region."
Similar to Guterres, Biden emphasized the pressing need to resolve other conflicts, such as the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.
John Fortier, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, voiced skepticism about Biden's capacity to address these problems and predicted that they will likely persist beyond his presidency.
Biden's ongoing struggles were recognized by Fortier when he stated, "It looks very much like these will be conflicts that will persist and will continue on past his presidency."
About 100 captives are said to be under Hamas' hands as the Israel-Hamas conflict approaches its one-year anniversary. Any further cease-fire talks, in the White House's opinion, cannot take place until their safe return is guaranteed.
