'Nobody's hands are clean': Barack Obama on Israel-Hamas war

NEW DELHI: Former President Barack Obama has spoken on the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the complexity of the situation and the need for a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand. In various statements and interviews, he has urged reflection and acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of the conflict.
During an episode of the "Pod Save America" podcast, Obama described the actions of Hamas as "horrific" and stated that there is no justification for them.He also pointed out the challenges faced by Palestinians, referring to the occupation and the conditions they endure.
"Nobody's hands are clean, we could go on for a while," he said. "If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth," Obama said. "And you then have to admit nobody's hands are clean, that all of us are complicit to some degree."
Obama admitted that he also felt guilty for the conflict, and wondered if he could have done more to prevent it when he was president. He said that he tried to push for a peace process, but faced resistance from both Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as domestic politics in the US.
Obama criticized social media for polarizing the debate and creating a space where people only defended their own "moral innocence". He said that social media, TikTok activism and trying to debate this on that is you can't speak the truth. You can pretend to speak the truth, you can speak one side of the truth, and in some cases you can try to maintain your moral innocence, but that won't solve the problem," he said.
This marks the second occasion on which former President Barack Obama has publicly addressed the conflict between Israel and Hamas, underscoring the notion of mutual responsibility. Previously, he expressed concern that Israel's countermeasures, which included restricting access to essential supplies in Gaza and resulted in civilian casualties, might be counterproductive. Obama suggested that such actions could entrench negative perceptions among Palestinians towards Israel, diminish global support for the country, and potentially hinder efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace.