Biden had words with Bibi over Israel’s apocalyptic Gaza war. What’s needed is action
Op-Ed
Jackie Calmes April 5, 2024
Its a shame upon shame that it took the deaths of six foreigners in Gaza, humanitarian workers for the U.S.-based World Central Kitchen, to finally, maybe, shake President Biden to reconsider his acquiescence his complicity in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus apocalyptic war there.
By the time the convoy from chef Jos Andrs organization was annihilated by
an Israeli drone strikeIsraels bombs last
Monday killing three Brits, a Pole, an Australian and a Canadian American, along with a Palestinian driver nearly 33,000 Gazans were dead after six months of Israels pummeling, two-thirds of them women and children. More than a million more Gazans, half the strips population, have been displaced. Most of those refugees have targets on their backs, crowded as they are around Rafah, Gazas southernmost city, which Netanyahu says is next in his sights despite Bidens talk of red lines.
There are two more casualties of Netanyahus war. The first is the global goodwill toward Israel in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists from Gaza savagely murdered 1,200 Israelis and took more than 240 hostages, many of whom remain in Hamas hands. And the second:
t
he international standing of the United States, given Bidens seemingly unquestioning support to date of Israels right-wing government.
That support is no longer unquestioned, at least. Not since Bidens reportedly tense call with Netanyahu on Thursday in which were told the president demanded that Israel take specific, concrete and measurable steps to alleviate civilian suffering and deaths in Gaza. U.S. policy hinges on Israels response, Biden told the prime minister. Also, Israel must agree soon to another hostage exchange with Hamas. For the first time, Biden called for an immediate cease-fire.
Still, so far Bidens words remain just that, words which the self-regarding Netanyahu will likely dismiss to survive atop his extremist coalition.
For months Bibi has snubbed Bidens
previous
admonitions to show restraint, to negotiate a hostage swap, to avoid a major assault on Rafah and to stop inhibiting the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which now faces famine and the collapse of medical care. But Netanyahu has paid no price for thumbing his nose at the nation thats been Israels main defender, financial backer and arms supplier for a half-century. Quite the opposite.
On the same day as the World Central Kitchen bloodbath, Bidens State Department reportedly authorized the transfer to Israel of thousands more bombs that Congress had approved long before the war against Hamas. The administration is now pressing Congress to approve the sale of F-15 fighter jets. The weaponry wouldnt arrive in Israel for years, but that prospect means Netanyahu can wage war now knowing more materiel is in the pipeline.
When the U.S. sells Israel weapons, it does so without conditions; it is the only U.S. ally to get such a deal, and Biden could modify that immediately.
Only a day before
Biden’shis
phone call with Netanyahu, national security spokesperson John
F.
Kirby told reporters the administration was planning no change in its support of Israel. But afterward, Kirby and Secretary of State
Antony J.Tony
Blinken publicly echoed Bidens new message. As Blinken put it, “If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, therell be changes in our own policy.”
Were left to wait and see. Martin Indyk, a former Middle East envoy and U.S. ambassador to Israel, predicted we wont wait long. If Netanyahu doesnt soon make some dramatic moves, he said, Biden will be required by his own rhetoric to take sanctions.
Note that Indyk said dramatic moves. That doesn’t describe Israel’s initial steps. On Friday, Netanyahus war Cabinet agreed to temporarily open a single new crossing for aid into northern Gaza and to use an Israeli port, Ashdod, to receive assistance. And the Israel i Defense Forces dismissed two officers for
the attack on the
aid convoy
‘s bombing
.
Biden, who fully two months ago said Israels military response to Oct. 7 was over the top, should not accept Band-
A
id measures as compliance. As Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security advisor, wrote, Bibi obviously doesnt care what the U.S. says, its about what the U.S. does.
After a half-century at the center of U.S. foreign policy debates, Biden is steeped in this nation’s tradition of bipartisan, unwavering support for Israel, even though hes experienced firsthand Netanyahus proclivity for driving a wedge between
ourthe
two political parties and humiliating American presidents, especially Democrats.
President Clinton famously groused after being lectured by Netanyahu, Who the f does he think he is? Whos the f superpower here? In 2015, Netanyahu brazenly addressed Congress at House Republicans invitation to oppose
President
Obamas multinational nuclear agreement with Iran. And five years
earlier, Biden was Netanyahus victim, when Israel authorized new settlements in the West Bank, in violation of U.S. and international policy, just as the then-vice president arrived in Israel for an official visit.
Its an open secret that Netanyahu would like his fellow right-wing narcissist Donald Trump to return to power; he justifiably assumes Trump would give him carte blanche in Gaza. To that end, Netanyahu welcomes the erosion of Bidens support among Arab Americans and young voters because of the presidents backing for Israel.
Biden knows this, yet his support for Israel overrides his domestic political calculations. He also knows, however, that Netanyahus policies are not in Israels best interests, or the United States. He can take actions without waiting for Netanyahu’s responses.
Like Such a
s shelving for now the pending arms transfer and jet sales, or at a minimum, putting strict conditions on their use, as some senators have begun seeking. And getting Netanyahu’s assurance that Rafah won’t be razed and refugees there displaced yet again.
On Friday, Blinken said the real test is results in increased aid to Gaza. Thats essential but insufficient. If thats all Thursdays call accomplishes, its not enough.
