Biden Mixes Up Israeli and Palestinian Locations in Interview Gaffe

By Yoni Weiss

In a recent interview, President Joe Biden made a geographical error when he mistakenly referred to the Israeli city of Haifa instead of the Palestinian town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The mistake occurred during a discussion with Nexstar Media’s Reshad Hudson about strategies to regain support among pro-Palestinian voters after the recent war between Israel and Hamas.

During the interview, Biden emphasized the need to “vastly increase the amount of food, water, healthcare going into Gaza,” before mistakenly warning, “And I made it clear to Israelis – don’t move on Haifa,” when he meant to reference Rafah.

Rafah has been a significant focus for Israel, particularly in their operations to secure the release of hostages and target Hamas’s infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. Rafah is now the most densely populated area in the region, harboring over a million Palestinians. It is a key location for Hamas, contrasting sharply with Haifa, which is situated over 100 miles north and known for being Israel’s third-largest city and a major tourist hub.

The error prompted reactions on social media, including light-hearted comments from former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, and former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, both highlighting the obvious mistake with remarks about Israel not planning any actions against Haifa.

This blunder has fueled further discussions about Biden’s age and cognitive capabilities, especially as an ABC News/Ipsos poll in February showed a significant portion of U.S. adults questioning his suitability for another presidential term due to his age. Despite these concerns, the White House has defended President Biden, stating that he is fit for office and dismissing the necessity for cognitive testing.