Shift in tide: More US voices join opposition to Israeli war on Gaza
4 Min Read
Recent developments mark the closest instance that Biden, or any US president, reportedly approached the idea of tying aid to "Israel", a notion previously considered unthinkable.
-
Pro-Palestinian protesters raise Palestinian flags outside the White House. (AFP via Getty Images)
The Israeli killing of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen in Gaza may mark a turning point in Washington, seemingly hastening a decline in US backing for the ongoing aggression.
US President Joe Biden finally called, on Thursday, for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, underscoring the gravity of recent developments, particularly condemning the strikes on humanitarian workers and highlighting the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
White House Spokesperson John Kirby issued a warning, urging "Israel" to take concrete actions in the "coming hours and days."
"If we don't see changes from their side, there will have to be changes from our side," he added.
This marks the nearest instance that Biden, or any US president, reportedly approached the idea of tying aid to "Israel", a notion previously considered unthinkable when the Gaza genocide commenced six months ago.
The anger over Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of aid workers from José Andrés' globally recognized nonprofit erupted on Tuesday, prompting Biden to release a statement criticizing "Israel" for its failure to safeguard civilians and aid workers.
However, the killing of over 33,037 Palestinians including at least 15,000 children did go unnoticed.
Senator Chris Coons, President Biden's staunchest ally in the Senate, remarked on CNN Thursday that the US should tie its aid to Israeli actions if it invades Rafah without a humanitarian plan.
"I've never said that before. I've never been here before," Coons stressed.
Former Obama aides Jon Favreau and Ben Rhodes sharply criticized Biden following a Politico report that depicted him as "privately enraged" over the World Central Kitchen Israeli strikes.
"These stories only make him look weak," Favreau emphasized.
Richard Haass, a prominent figure in the foreign policy establishment, advocated on Thursday for the US to contemplate imposing "sanctions" on "Israel".
"I'm sorry it's come to this," Haass said on MSNBC's Morning Joe.
Even Joe Biden's wife, Jill Biden, has reportedly advocated for a ceasefire in Gaza. During a meeting with members of the Muslim community at the White House, one attendee conveyed to President Biden that his wife disapproved of his attendance due to his support for "Israel" in its ongoing aggression on Gaza.
President Biden acknowledged this sentiment, revealing that the First Lady had been urging him for a ceasefire in Gaza, quoting her as saying, "Stop it, stop it now," as reported by an attendee present at the meeting.
The big picture
In a Gallup poll conducted last month, 55% of Americans expressed disapproval of Israeli actions in Gaza, marking the first time a majority has voiced dissent, even predating the recent wave of indignation following the WCK strikes.
Andres, who maintains close ties to the White House and communicated with Biden following the fatal strike, has amplified the outcry against "Israel". He has affirmed that "Israel" intentionally targeted WCK's personnel.
On his part, former US President Trump avoided addressing questions from radio host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday regarding whether he maintains unwavering support for "Israel".
What concerned the former US President the most were the "heinous" and "horrific" images coming out of Gaza.
"They're losing the PR war. They're losing it big," Trump stressed.
However, he still insisted that "they've got to finish what they started, and they've got to finish it fast, and we have to get on with life."
“And people are imagining there’s a lot of people in those buildings … and they don’t like it, and I don’t know why they released, you know, wartime shots like that,” Trump said.
He called on "Israel" to get the war “over with fast” and “get back to normalcy."
As of now, there have been no changes to US policy on "Israel". As a matter of fact, according to The Washington Post, the Biden administration authorized the transfer of thousands of bombs to "Israel" on the day of the WCK strikes. However, President Biden has made it clear that he will alter his approach to Israeli aggression if "Israel" does not comply, and he will now face mounting pressure to act accordingly.
