Biden stance toward 'Israel' unchanged despite aid workers deaths: WP
4 Min Read
The Biden administration's strategy of publicly supporting "Israel" while hoping to influence its actions in private has faced limitations.
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President Joe Biden speaks about lowering health care costs in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington, April 3, 2024 (AP)
An op-ed published by The Washington Post on Thursday detailed that the Biden administration has faced mounting criticism for its handling of the war on Gaza.
The piece discusses the administration's response to a recent Israeli strike that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers from the José Andrés-run World Central Kitchen (WCK).
On Tuesday, Biden issued a rare direct rebuke of "Israel," condemning its role in creating conditions that have made aid distribution inside Gaza deadly.
"This is not a stand-alone incident. This conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of how many aid workers have been killed," Biden said. "This is a major reason why distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza has been so difficult — because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians."
Despite Biden's condemnation, there is little indication of significant changes in the administration's stance on "Israel." While the president and his top aides have expressed frustration with "Israel's" conduct, they have shown little appetite for imposing punitive actions such as conditioning or suspending weapons sales.
Read more: Israeli official yells after US called Rafah plan 'unrealistic': NBC
White House spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday reiterated the administration's support for "Israel", stating that the US trusts the regime to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
"We make no bones about the fact that we have certain issues about some of the way things are being done," Kirby said. "We also make no bones about the fact that Israel is going to continue to have American support for the fight that they are in to eliminate the threat from Hamas."
However, there are calls for independent investigations from figures such as José Andrés, who accused the Israeli regime of systematically targeting aid workers.
The Biden administration's response has faced criticism for its contradictions. While advocating for increased aid flow into Gaza, the administration previously stated that "Israel" was not obstructing humanitarian aid delivery.
"It’s very complicated to understand. … America is going to be sending its Navy and its military to do humanitarian work, but at the same time weapons provided by America … are killing civilians," Andrés told Reuters in an interview.
This inconsistency in the administration's approach has led to growing frustration among Democrats and Biden allies, who are calling for a more assertive stance, including demands for an immediate ceasefire and suspension or conditioning of military aid to "Israel."
Read more: 'Israel' on full alert anticipating Iran response to consulate strike
The political implications of Biden's support for "Israel" have also become evident, with key segments of the Democratic base expressing dissatisfaction. In a recent primary in Wisconsin, nearly 50,000 voters signaled their discontent with Biden's policy towards "Israel."
Meanwhile, Republicans have positioned themselves as staunch allies of "Israel," accusing Biden of yielding to pressure from "left"-wing factions within his party.
The Biden administration's strategy of publicly supporting "Israel" while hoping to influence its actions in private has faced limitations. Despite public disapproval from the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to defy calls for restraint and has shown little willingness to accommodate Biden's requests, including accepting the notion of a Palestinian state.
