Update (2100ET): Wednesday is shaping up as quite a global day of rage as the following series of clips from major cities around the world demonstrates.
Iraq:
Baghdad, Iraq pic.twitter.com/ZgK8xuEELR
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Turkey:
Istanbul, Turkey pic.twitter.com/wZOjx9RSM8
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Lebanon:
Beirut, Lebanon pic.twitter.com/Y1P26RFXdq
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Jordan:
Amman, Jordan pic.twitter.com/kgUUvdaJec
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Qatar:
Doha, Qatar pic.twitter.com/6ZY7oI8D2h
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Iran:
Tehran, Iran pic.twitter.com/vkVDENQvE1
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Egypt:
Cairo, Egypt pic.twitter.com/nqrcJTvUfJ
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Germany:
Berlin, Germany pic.twitter.com/7iZvOMDddf
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Greece:
Greece pic.twitter.com/xSH6bvaS13
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
Canada:
Montreal, Canada pic.twitter.com/ozTrKk5KNO
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 17, 2023
* * *
Update(1820ET): As expected, the fallout from the al-Ahli Baptist Hospital bombing has been swift, with a domino effect of negative consequences both for diplomacy and on the ‘Arab street’. The situation outside the US Embassy in Beirut is deteriorating tonight, with reports of riot police and tear gas being deployed against large crowds waving Hezbollah flags.
But more importantly, and just as Air Force One is departing Washington for Israel, the White House has canceled the entire leg of Biden’s trip to Jordan. The confirmation was issued within the same hour that Arab leaders announced they were unwilling to meet with Biden, given the US is Israel’s biggest funder and supporter.
Biden issued a statement “deepest condolences” to victims of Gaza “hospital explosion,” according to the White House official statement:
After consulting with Jordan King Abdullah II & in light of the days of mourning announced by Palestinian Authority President Abbas, President Biden will postpone his travel to Jordan and the planned meeting with these two leaders and Egypt President Sisi.
The President sent his deepest condolences for the innocent lives lost in the hospital explosion in Gaza, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.
So even before arriving in Israel, the Tuesday massacre – which Israel is actually blaming on Palestinian militants (specifically PIJ) – has effectively served to box-in Biden. France’s Macron has just issued a condemnation to boot, saying “nothing can justify targeting civilians” in a statement which appears to place blame squarely on the Israelis. Biden will now also face the pressure to join the chorus of international condemnation. “International humanitarian law is binding on all and must enable the protection of civilian populations. Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be opened up without delay,” the French foreign ministry said in the statement.
Here’s what Jordan had to say:
“There is no point in doing anything at this time other than stopping this war,” Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Al Jazeera Arabic early Wednesday morning. “There is no benefit to anyone in holding a summit at this time.”
There are emerging reports that crowds are attempting to storm the US Embassy in Beirut, based on unconfirmed but widely circulating footage overnight (local time):