Defense

Bolton argues US effort to prolong Middle East truce is ‘objectively pro-Hamas’

by Nick Robertson - 12/02/23 8:54 AM ET

Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Associated Press file
Former National security adviser John Bolton gestures while speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington in 2019.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton blasted efforts to extend the truce in the Israel-Hamas war, calling them “objectively pro-Hamas.”

The Biden administration, factions of the Israeli government and regional allies have urged the two sides to continue a pause in fighting, which ended Friday. The previous weeklong pause in fighting allowed for the freedom of over 100 Hamas-held hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners.

“I think the second-guessing by the Biden administration, the efforts to prolong the pause to turn it into a full ceasefire, are objectively pro Hamas because it denies Israel the self-defense right it has to eliminate the terrorist threat,” Bolton said during an “On Balance” interview on NewsNation with host Leland Vittert.

While the Biden administration has not pushed for an indefinite cease-fire in the conflict as some Democrats have, adding to pressure on the administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did urge a longer cease-fire to continue the hostage release deal.

“Looking at the next couple of days, we’ll be focused on doing what we can to extend the pause so we can continue to get more hostages out and more humanitarian assistance in,” Blinken said Wednesday.

“And we’ll discuss with Israel how it can achieve its objective of ensuring that the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7 never happen again, while sustaining and increasing humanitarian assistance and minimizing further suffering of Palestinian civilians,” he continued.

The deal was extended by two days after his comments.

Bolton has been one of the most vocal opponents of the hostage deal and temporary cease-fire, calling it a “very bad deal for Israel” and saying it could help Hamas militarily.

Cease-fire advocates argue that an indefinite pause in fighting is needed in order to help Gaza civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom have been displaced from their homes due to the war. The short-term deal came after weeks of negotiations between the U.S., Qatar, Israel and Hamas.

The conflict has raged for nearly two months, killing over 13,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, after leaving approximately 1,200 Israelis dead in Hamas’s initial attack on Oct. 7.

The Hill’s parent company, Nexstar Media Group, also owns NewsNation.