Dem. lawmakers pressure Biden against Israeli aggression in West Bank
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Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Dan Goldman urged their president to pressure "Israel" to stop aggression in the occupied West Bank.
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Anti-war activists protest outside of the White House during a pro-Palestinian demonstration asking to cease fire in Gaza in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (AP)
Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Dan Goldman penned a letter to US President Joe Biden, urging him to address and condemn Israeli settler aggression in the occupied West Bank. However, achieving progress toward a ceasefire in Gaza continues to prove elusive.
Two Democratic Party politicians are urging Biden to condemn Israeli settler aggression in the illegally occupied West Bank, responding to pressure from their constituents.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) directed a letter to the US president on Thursday, urging him to exert pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the issue.
Read next: Divisions in Democratic National Committee over war on Gaza: Axios
“As your administration tirelessly works to prevent the expansion of this conflict, we write to specifically highlight the threat that violence in the West Bank – especially vigilante violence by Israeli settlers – poses to those efforts, Israel’s near-term security, Palestinian human rights, and long-term regional peace,” read the missive from the lawmakers.
The letter follows a protest staged by Goldman's constituents outside his Brooklyn office last week. In the past month, hundreds of thousands of Americans have participated in protests against Israeli violence and US support for the occupation, reaching a culmination with an action outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday.
Democrats challenge Biden's stance over aid to "Israel"
Earlier this month, a significant portion of the Senate Democratic caucus called on US President Joe Biden to clarify his request for $14.3 billion in emergency military aid for "Israel", The New York Times reported.
They are also seeking assurance that "Israel" has a viable plan for "ending Hamas" and that the US assistance complies with international and US laws.
In a letter to the US President, 24 Democrats and two independents have asked for more details on how the administration plans to ensure that "Israel" is minimizing civilian casualties in Gaza.
They also want Biden's assessment of the achievability of "Israel's" military plans to "remove Hamas" from Gaza, whether these plans are taking the captives' fate into consideration, and the viability of the Israeli governance plan for "post-war Gaza".
This letter represents the first major challenge from within President Biden's party regarding his administration's support for Israeli actions. It was initiated by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, with signatures from prominent Democrats, such as Senators Richard J. Durbin and Jack Reed. It is worth noting that this concern goes beyond the progressive left and reflects a shift in tone among Democrats regarding the struggle, NYT argued.
