Joe Biden’s Story of Meeting Golda Meir Highlights His Support for Israel

In recent days, President Joe Biden has been sharing a story that highlights his long history of supporting Israel. The story revolves around his meeting with Golda Meir, Israel’s trailblazing first and only female prime minister. The meeting took place in 1973, when Biden was a young senator in his first year of his Senate career.

During an appearance in Tel Aviv with Israel’s current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden recounted the story correctly, noting that the meeting occurred just before the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The significant part of the story lies in the ending, as they stood shoulder to shoulder for a photograph. However, it should be noted that no photograph of Biden and Meir together could be found by CNN’s photo editors.

According to Biden’s retelling, as they stood together, Meir turned to him and asked why he looked worried. Biden responded by saying that he was worried, to which Meir replied, “We don’t worry, Senator. We Israelis have a secret weapon. We have nowhere else to go.” Biden emphasized that the United States stands with Israel and isn’t going anywhere either.

Later in the day, Biden shared the same story, but with a key detail slightly off. He mentioned that the meeting occurred “just before the Six-Day War” instead of the Yom Kippur War. The 1967 Six-Day War took place before Meir became prime minister and before Biden was a senator. However, the essential part of the story remained unchanged.

It’s important to note that Biden has previously mixed up these two events, as CNN’s fact-check team reported in 2021. Despite the slight inaccuracies, the message conveyed in the story remains consistent.

Coincidentally, there is currently a new movie titled “Golda,” starring Helen Mirren, which focuses on Meir’s story during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The movie provides an opportunity to learn about the historical significance of these two conflicts, as they continue to have relevance in the present.

The June 1967 Six-Day War marked a significant moment when Israel launched a preemptive strike against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Israel successfully seized control of the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

In October 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Egypt and Syria launched an attack on Israel on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. The objective was to reclaim lost land. As a result, Arab nations imposed an oil embargo against the United States when it supported Israel.

While the Yom Kippur War lasted less than three weeks, it took nearly nine more years for Israel to return control of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt. This process was completed in 1982, following the 1978 Camp David Accords and subsequent peace treaty between the two countries. Israel occupied the Gaza Strip until 2005 when it withdrew its soldiers and settlers. Meanwhile, Israel has continued to build settlements in the West Bank, which was once under Jordanian control until the recognition of Israel by Jordan in 1994.

In conclusion, Biden’s story of meeting Golda Meir serves to highlight his longstanding support for Israel. Despite minor discrepancies in the timeline, the story emphasizes the strong bond between the United States and Israel. The historical context provided by the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War further underscores the significance of these events in shaping the region’s current dynamics.