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The first US-Israeli joint war: Le Monde diplomatique

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Modern Diplomacy
22 Jan 2024 19:37

Though the US did not openly support previous Israeli aggressions in the region, this particular war witnessed explicit and massive US support, writer Gilbert Achkar says.

A Palestinian man mourns over the body of a child killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 (AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)

Writing for Le Monde Diplomatique on Monday, Gilbert Achkar argued that the US, particularly under the Biden administration, has significantly shifted its historical approach of trying to present itself as an impartial arbiter in the Israeli aggression on the Arab region.

Though the US "did not openly support" previous Israeli aggressions in the region, this particular war witnessed explicit and massive US support, Achkar speculated.

This included not only political backing and bypassing Congress for emergency measures but also providing military equipment to "Israel."

Regional cover

Achkar criticizes the US' role in the war, saying that it provided a regional cover to "Israel," allowing it to focus its forces on a war against Gaza with the stated goal of eradicating the resistance.

Considering the densely populated territory, such an objective implies a genocidal-scale massacre, especially as the Israeli forces aim to minimize its own losses through remote strikes and urban area flattening, leading to a higher number of civilian casualties.

Achkar contends that the US bears direct responsibility for the Gaza massacre by supplying "Israel" with substantial weaponry, noting that by late November, the US had delivered 57,000 artillery shells and 15,000 bombs, including powerful BLU-117s and BLU-109 ('bunker buster') bombs, some weighing almost a ton each.

The New York Times noted experts' surprise at "Israel's" extensive use of these massive bombs, contributing to what is described as a historic-paced civilian massacre in Gaza.

The US had provided 244 arms deliveries by cargo plane and 20 shipments by boat to "Israel" by December 25.

Moreover, The Guardian reported that Israel tapped into a significant stockpile of US weapons already positioned in the occupied territories.

Favoritism

To fund the military support provided to "Israel", the Biden administration sought an extra-budgetary request of $105 billion from Congress on October 20. This included $61.4 billion for Ukraine (with $46.3 billion in military support), $14.1 billion for "Israel" ($13.9 billion in military support), and $13.6 billion for addressing illegal immigration at the border.

Despite attempts to gain approval by tying aid for Ukraine to causes favored by the Republican right, the request was not approved by the end of 2023.

In bypassing Congress, the administration authorized emergency measures on December 9 and December 30, providing Israeli Merkava tanks with a total of 45,000 tank shells for $500 million.

This move sparked criticism from Democrats seeking more oversight on arms packages to "Israel."

Full complicity

Achkar contends that President Biden bears direct responsibility for the Gaza massacre, noting that his disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on post-war plans does not absolve them of joint responsibility for the conflict itself.

Despite campaign promises to shift from the pro-"Israel" stance of his predecessor, Biden failed to reverse key policies, such as reopening the US embassy in East Al-Quds and the PLO office in Washington.

Instead, he emulated Trump by prioritizing ties with Saudi Arabia and offering unwavering support to "Israel" during the Gaza invasion.

This approach has alienated Biden from his own Democratic Party, which is now more sympathetic to Palestinians than Israelis, according to a December 19 poll (34% to 31%). Dissatisfaction spans across party lines, with 57% of Americans disapproving of Biden's handling of the conflict, as per the same poll.