Ismail Khalidi, son of Columbia University professor emeritus Rashid Khalidi, has labelled US President Joe Biden a “genocidal maniac” after the latter was spotted holding a copy of his father’s book, ‘The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine’.
President Biden, currently wrapping up his term, drew attention during a Black Friday outing in Nantucket when he was photographed carrying the book. The choice of reading material surprised many, given Biden’s long-standing pro-Israel stance. Rashid Khalidi, a prominent scholar of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, reacted to the unexpected publicity, calling it “four years too late.” The author, whose work critiques US foreign policy and frames the establishment of Israel as a “settler-colonial conquest,” seemed skeptical about Biden’s sudden interest in his work.
His son, Ismail, took a harsher tone. In a post on X, he lashed out at Biden, writing, “Hey, [Joe Biden], get my father’s book out of your blood-soaked hands, you genocidal maniac.”
Hey, @JoeBiden, get my father’s book out of your blood soaked hands, you genocidal maniac. https://t.co/Ud9vsVhRU3
— Ismail Khalidi (@IsmailKhalidi) November 30, 2024
Published in 2020, ‘The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine’ critiques Israeli policies and staunch US support for the state, describing the conflict as a prolonged colonial struggle. Rashid Khalidi, a vocal critic of US-Israel relations, labelled the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “the most extreme” in the country’s history. He also criticised the Donald Trump administration in his book, calling it a “mouthpiece for Israel.”
The book advocates for justice and equality for Palestinians, proposing that peace can only be achieved by dismantling systemic oppression. It talks about the historical narrative of Palestinian resistance and highlights discriminatory policies against Palestinians, including Muslims and Christians.
The book outlines three potential outcomes for settler-colonial conflicts – the full subjugation of Indigenous populations, the expulsion of colonisers, or compromise and reconciliation.
The book’s nuanced examination of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has drawn both praise and criticism, making Biden’s public endorsement – intentional or not – all the more surprising.
Joe Biden has often described himself as a Zionist, declaring famously, “You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist. I am a Zionist.” His administration, while providing military aid to Israel, has faced backlash for its handling of the ongoing war in Gaza and perceived complicity in Palestinian suffering. Protests have erupted across the US, with demonstrators branding him “Genocide Joe” for his perceived failure to check Israeli military actions.
Earlier this year, Biden paused shipments of heavy munitions to Israel amid rising tensions, but he also visited the country in solidarity after the October 2023 attacks.
