Biden said that he “considers himself a Zionist,” but that he has done more for the Palestinian community than anyone else

President Joe Biden stated in an interview that he considers himself a Zionist who has also done “more for the Palestinian community than anyone else,” while calling for more aid to Gaza.

In a recorded interview with Speedy Morman from Complex Networks on the show “360 with Speedy,” Biden also said that he is “1,000%” committed to staying in the race for 2024 amid questions about his mental capability following a disastrous debate performance last month. The interview was recorded on Friday, a day before the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, and was released on Monday.

Biden also spoke extensively about the war in Gaza for the first time in several weeks – with most of his recent interviews focused on the president’s age and ability to lead the country following his uncertain performance at the CNN debate on June 27.

When directly asked by the host if he is a Zionist, Biden said, “yes.” Biden has often described himself as such before and after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Some progressives have called on the president to show more public empathy toward the suffering of Palestinians facing months of Israeli bombardment that has killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, many using American weaponry.

Biden predicted that some would have issues with his description of himself as a Zionist.

“You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist, and Zionism is about whether Israel is a safe haven for Jews because of their history of persecution,” Biden said.

“Now many will make a big deal out of this because different people don’t know what a Zionist is,” he added.

The President also emphasized his efforts to help Gaza.

“I’m the one who opened all the resources. I’m the one who secured – I convinced the Egyptians to open the border to allow goods, medicine, and food to pass through,” Biden said. “I have been very supportive of the Palestinians, but Hamas, they are a bunch of thugs.”

Before the assassination attempt on Trump, the focus of the 2024 race was on whether Biden could survive serious questions from his party about his mental capability.

When asked if he is still committed to staying on the list of candidates, Biden replied: “Unless I’m hit by a train, yes,” reports CNN.