Trump slammed for racist ‘Palestinian’ insult in US presidential debate with Biden
- ‘To insinuate that being Palestinian is somehow a bad thing, as former president Trump did when he called President Biden Palestinian, reeks of racism,’ Amnesty said
Biden and Trump had a brief exchange on the war in Gaza but did not have a substantive discussion on how to end the conflict which has killed more than 37,000 in the enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry, and caused a massive humanitarian crisis with widespread hunger.
The war began when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting some 250 others, according to Israeli tallies.
“The only one who wants the war to continue is Hamas,” Biden said. Trump responded by saying Biden has “become like a Palestinian,” which rights advocates said came across as a slur.
“Actually, Israel is the one [that wants to keep going], and you should let them go and let them finish the job. He (Biden) doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a Palestinian but they don’t like him because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a weak one,” Trump said.
On Friday, Trump again used the term “Palestinian” in a similar way, this time saying in a rally that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish, was Palestinian. “He’s become a Palestinian because they have a couple more votes or something,” he added.