The author’s son after Biden, pictured with his father’s book

Ismail Khalidi, the son of Columbia University professor emeritus Rashid Khalidi, has labeled US President Joe Biden a “genocidal maniac” after the latter was seen holding a copy of his father’s book.The Hundred Years’ War over Palestine”.

President Biden, who is currently finishing 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 longstanding pro-Israel stance. Rashid Khalidi, a prominent scholar of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, reacted to the unexpected publicity by calling “Four years too late.” The author, whose work criticizes US foreign policy and frames Israel’s establishment as a “colonial-colonial conquest,” sounded skeptical about Biden’s sudden interest in his work.

His son Ismail took a harsher tone. In a post on X, he attacked Biden, writing: “Hey (Joe Biden), get my father’s book out of your bloody hands, genocidal maniac.”

Hey, @JoeBidenget 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 over Palestine” criticizes Israeli policies and staunch US support for the state, describing the conflict as a protracted colonial struggle. Rashid Khalidi, a vocal critic of US-Israel relations, has labeled the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “most extreme” in the country’s history. He also criticized the Donald Trump administration in his book, calling it “Israel’s mouthpiece”.

The book advocates for justice and equality for Palestinians, proposing that peace can only be achieved by dismantling systemic oppression. It speaks to the historical narrative of Palestinian resistance and highlights discriminatory policies against Palestinians, including Muslims and Christians.

The book presents three potential outcomes for settler-colonial conflicts – complete subjugation of indigenous populations, expulsion of colonizers, 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 — intended or not — all the more surprising.

Joe Biden has often described himself as a Zionist, famously declaring, “You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist. I am a Zionist.” His administration, while providing military aid to Israel, faced backlash for its handling of the ongoing war in Gaza and perceived complicity in Palestinian suffering. Protests erupted in the US, with demonstrators branding him “Genocide Joe” for failing to control Israeli military actions.

Earlier this year, Biden halted shipments of heavy munitions to Israel amid rising tensions, but also visited the country in solidarity after the October 2023 attacks.