Biden admin aims to steer clear of Middle East conflict: Politico

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Politico
18 Oct 2023 18:56

The US did not anticipate a conflict to erupt in the occupied territories as it wanted to keep focus on arming Ukraine against Russia.

Actor Wallace Shawn speaks during a protest advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza outside the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

A report by Politico on Tuesday revealed, citing official sources that requested anonymity, that the Biden administration is making every possible effort to avoid getting embroiled in a larger Middle East conflict that could derail its agenda.

According to them, Biden's recent visit to the occupied territories is intended to demonstrate solidarity with "Israel", but there's also an underlying aim within the administration to avoid making "Israel's conflict with Hamas" the primary foreign policy focus.

They underscored that the administration is committed to assisting "Israel" without wanting the conflict to escalate further and that the White House has been cautious about getting deeply involved in the ongoing conflict, given mounting domestic issues and the need to sustain support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

As part of the administration's effort to avert further escalations, a planned summit in Jordan's capital was due to be held today. But following the massacre that occurred at al-Ahli hospital, the summit was abruptly canceled.

It started when Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, initially declared the cancellation of his meeting with Biden. Shortly after, the Jordanian foreign minister announced the complete cancellation

According to the report, Biden's advisers debated the wisdom of the President's visit to the occupied territories, with concerns about security risks and the perception of supporting Netanyahu, who was under scrutiny for intelligence failures leading to the Palestinian Resistance operations.

Despite his strained relationship with Netanyahu, Biden believed it was important to show solidarity with what Politico referred to as a "fellow democracy" and "encourage Arab neighbors to assist the Palestinians". Aides hastily arranged the visit to the occupied territories before any further developments in the Gaza conflict.

However, the conflict in Gaza presented a challenging backdrop for the visit, with the potential for a brutal battle and risks to hostages held in Gaza, according to Politico.

To address these concerns, Biden deployed assets to the region, including carrier strike groups and Marines, with a focus on assisting US citizens and deterring further escalation.

All in all, there are growing concerns about the threat of escalation, as Iran's foreign minister hinted at Hezbollah taking preemptive action against "Israel," and the resistance axis groups show signs of mobilization and rhetoric about future conflicts, raising difficulties for the administration's efforts to maintain some distance from the fighting.

So far, no official statements for a declaration of war have been released, neither on the part of Iran nor Hezbollah.