American position on Israeli war on Gaza: Backgrounds and limits of the shift in the Biden administration’s policy

Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies

Over the past weeks, messages of protest from within the Biden administration and his presidential campaign have multiplied; Because of its absolute support for Israel in its aggression against the Gaza Strip. The most recent was a letter delivered to the White House on November 15, 2023, signed by more than 500 politicians...

Introduction

Since the first day of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the administration of US President Joe Biden took an extreme position in its support for the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu's government against the Palestinian people, and used its veto in the United Nations Security Council against two Russian and Brazilian draft resolutions calling for a ceasefire. The United States of America was among 14 countries that voted in the United Nations General Assembly, on October 27, 2023, against a draft resolution submitted by the Arab group, calling for an “immediate ceasefire” and the entry of humanitarian aid without obstacles, and urging “all parties On “protection of civilians.” In view of the humanitarian crisis that the Gaza Strip is witnessing as a result of the Israeli aggression, the Biden administration was forced to modify its position and put pressure on the Israeli side to accept “humanitarian truces,” limited in time and place.

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The Biden administration, in its private conversations with the Israelis, and recently in public, expresses mild dissatisfaction with the indiscriminate attacks targeting Palestinian civilians and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, and calls on the Israeli government to respect international humanitarian law in its war on the Strip, but it still rejects any call for a ceasefire. fire; Under the pretext that this would give Hamas time to strengthen its ranks and “repeat what it did on October 7”[1].

Pressure from some Arab countries allied with Washington, and growing dissatisfaction within the administration itself with Biden’s absolute bias towards Israel[2], prompted him to adopt an approach based on temporary “humanitarian truces.” At the beginning of this November, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held a meeting in the Jordanian capital, Amman, during which he heard an Arab position rejecting his claims about Israel’s right to defend itself without deterrence or restriction, and an Arab refusal to participate in the management of the Gaza Strip, in what he described as the "post-Hamas phase." The same message was heard later in Türkiye.

This new direction of the administration coincided with the escalation of tension in the Arab street, in a way that prompted American diplomats in the region to warn that the absolute American support for the Israeli aggression “will cause us to lose the Arabs for an entire generation.” This support amounts to “material and moral responsibility for what they consider possible war crimes”[3]. In addition to the above, internal pressures, whether from within the administration, from the Democratic Party, in Congress, or from part of the American street that rejects its country’s bias towards the Israeli aggression, played a role in changing the Biden administration’s position towards alleviating the disastrous humanitarian effects of the aggression in the Gaza Strip. This does not mean that it leaves the box of absolute bias towards Israel.

Increased pressure from within the administration

Over the past weeks, messages of protest from within the Biden administration and his presidential campaign have multiplied; Because of its absolute support for Israel in its aggression against the Gaza Strip. The most recent was a letter received by the White House on November 15, 2023, signed by more than 500 politicians in 40 government agencies. It stated: “We call on President Biden to urgently demand a ceasefire, and to call for a halt to the escalation of the current conflict by ensuring the immediate release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the restoration of water, fuel, electricity and other basic services, and the entry of adequate humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.” . The signatories of the letter stressed that “the Americans do not want the American army to be dragged into another costly and meaningless war in the Middle East.” It is noteworthy that the majority of the signatories are politicians who practice different religions and work in government sectors. Such as the National Security Council, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Justice. Some of these helped Biden in his 2020 presidential campaign. The letter stated that “the overwhelming majority of Americans support a ceasefire,” referring to a poll conducted in October that showed that 66 percent of Americans, and 80 percent of Democrats believe that the United States should put pressure on Israel. For a ceasefire[4].

An internal memorandum was leaked in the US State Department, signed by 100 employees of the ministry and the US Agency for International Development, accusing Biden of “spreading misleading information” about this war, indicating that what Israel is doing in the Gaza Strip are “war crimes.” The memo goes further in its criticism of the president, accusing him of “complicity in genocide” in Gaza[5]. Although the US State Department spokesman downplayed the impact of these messages on the Biden administration's policy, Blinken met with a number of dissatisfied employees.

Concern is beginning to seep into Biden's presidential campaign; He may jeopardize his chances of success in next year's presidential elections if he continues to ignore the widespread frustration among the ranks of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and the youth group due to his position in support of the Israeli aggression. Opinion polls indicate that these two segments sympathize with the Palestinians. Biden may lose the votes of Arab and Muslim Americans; In a way that cost him the loss of important states such as Michigan and Georgia. A recent opinion poll showed that the most likely Republican candidate in the upcoming presidential elections is former President Donald Trump, ahead of President Joe Biden in 5 of the 6 key states: Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. It is expected that Biden will lead in one state, It is Wisconsin, slightly ahead[6]. Supporters of his bias toward Israel within his election campaign believe that this will be in his electoral favor[7], even though one of the most important reasons for Biden’s victory in the 2020 elections is his success in mobilizing an alliance of progressives and youth, in addition to Arabs and Muslim Americans, something that Democratic candidate Hillary failed to do. Clinton in her election battle against Trump in 2016.

Tactical change?

On November 3, 2023, Blinken met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli War Cabinet, and tried to convince them that the erosion of American and international domestic support for Israel was due to the horrific humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip, including the bombing of the United Nations schools and hospitals in which he sought refuge. Thousands of people will be displaced, which will have dire strategic repercussions[8]. Blinken warned in a press conference that Israel risks ultimately destroying the prospects for peace and pushing the Palestinians “towards greater extremism” if it does not take the initiative to improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. He said that a "temporary ceasefire" would allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip, and the release of some detainees held by Hamas and other Palestinian factions. However, Netanyahu later confirmed that his government “will move forward with all its might”[9], and a ceasefire decision will not be taken until Hamas releases all detainees.

Under the weight of continued American pressure, the Israeli government was forced to agree to a daily truce, which Israel described as “local tactical pauses”[10], lasting four hours in the northern Gaza Strip to enable Palestinians to move to the south through two humanitarian corridors, and to allow the entry of more refugees. Humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and preparing the atmosphere for the release of detainees held by Hamas. By “local tactical pauses,” Israel means that they are limited to specific areas in the Gaza Strip, that is, they are not general, and their duration is specific, even though Biden requested a truce of three days or more, and indicated his frustration with the delay and limitations of the Israeli response[11]. Accordingly, Blinken blamed Tel Aviv in a veiled manner, but it was unprecedented since October 7. He stated from the Indian capital, New Delhi, that it must make more efforts "to reduce the harm to Palestinian civilians." But he expressed his support for “Israel’s right to defend itself,” praising at the same time its acceptance of temporary humanitarian truces[12].

The Biden administration hopes that the temporary and limited truces, in terms of time and place, will create the necessary conditions to reach a truce that will last several days, during which a deal will be concluded between Israel and Hamas to exchange prisoners, as well as the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli government has shown intransigence, whether with regard to sparing civilians the horrors of war, or making room for a humanitarian truce for a few days in order to release some of those detained by Hamas, especially those with American citizenship, and allowing the entry of humanitarian aid, or setting more realistic goals in its war on Gaza strip. Accordingly, the Biden administration gradually began to escalate its tone towards the Netanyahu government. Within the framework of its absolute bias towards Israel, it continues to provide support to it[13], such as its request from Congress for $14.3 billion, most of which will provide military aid to it, in addition to weapons and ammunition, and it insists on the position that Israel exercises a legitimate right to self-defense and rejects the demand for a ceasefire.

Biden's red lines

On November 8, 2023, during a meeting of foreign ministers of the G7 countries in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, Blinken set what some saw as red lines for Israel[14], in order to reach a “lasting and sustainable peace” after the war. This came in the context of Washington's fear of Netanyahu's announcement that Israel would assume "security responsibility" for Gaza for an "indefinite period" after the war, and the Biden administration expressed its discomfort. As for the red lines, they are: “No reoccupation of Gaza after the end of the conflict,” “No to reducing the area of Gaza and (the necessity of) committing to administering the Palestinian territories in Gaza and the West Bank in a unified manner,” “No to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza,” and “No to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.” No to the blockade of Gaza,” nor to the use of Gaza “as a platform for terrorism or other violent attacks”[15]. The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, reaffirmed these red lines, noting that part of the Biden administration’s vision for the Gaza Strip after the end of the war is to reunite control over it with the West Bank under Palestinian leadership[16].

The Biden administration believes that reviving the role of the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip, if Hamas rule is undermined, will not happen directly, but rather requires the presence of an “effective Palestinian Authority”[17], which will take time to achieve. Israel also refuses to place the Gaza Strip under the control of the Palestinian Authority, which it accuses of incapacity and incitement to terrorism. Therefore, Washington is offering temporary transitional options, such as having Arab countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, supervise the sector. On the other hand, Egypt and Jordan refuse to play this role. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi asked, “How can we think about what will happen in Gaza when we do not know what kind of Gaza will remain after the end of this war? Are we going to talk about a barren land? Are we going to talk about turning the entire population into refugees? Simply put, we don't know, we don't have all the variables to start thinking about that.”[18] Accordingly, Washington proposed another option, which was for the sector to be managed by international agencies and to form a multinational force to maintain peace. This option clashes with Israel's opposition, on the one hand, and with its connection to undermining Hamas' rule and dismantling its military capabilities, on the other hand.

Conclusion

There is clear confusion regarding the Biden administration’s approach to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. It calls on Israel to exercise restraint and avoid causing casualties among Palestinian civilians, and at the same time, it decides to provide it with precision-guided bombs worth $320 million[19]. While the administration rejects Israel's demand for a ceasefire and supports its efforts to eliminate Hamas, it calls on it to reconsider this "big goal" that is difficult to achieve, as the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, said, suggesting that Israel should focus instead on targeting the senior leadership of Hamas[20]. However, it seems that the Biden administration's patience with Israel's policies is running out, especially with the approaching presidential and legislative elections in the United States, and the division of Biden's electoral camp over the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which means that we may witness, during the next few weeks, a greater change in Washington policy and its approach to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

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Referrals:

[1] “Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi at a Joint Press Availability,” U.S. Department of the State, 4/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3MLbdTw

[2] Spencer Ackerman, “The Weekend Biden’s Middle East Policy Collapsed,” The Nation, 7/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3QJYJMS

[3] Priscilla Alvarez & Alex Marquardt, “Biden Administration Privately Warned by American Diplomats of Growing Fury Against US in Arab World,” CNN, 10/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3MMJAJH

[4] Maria Abi-Habib, Michael Crowley & Edward Wong, “More Than 500 U.S. Officials Sign Letter Protesting Biden’s Israel Policy,” The New York Times, 14/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3R21qLi

[5] Hans Nichols, “Scoop: Internal State Dept. Memo Blasts Biden, U.S. Policy on Israel-Hamas War,” Axios, 13/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3SExki7

[6] Sara Dorn, “Biden Trails Trump in 5 Battleground States—But Odds Are Much Better for Another Democrat, Poll Says,” Forbes, 5/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/47wK12E

[7] Edward-Isaac Dovere, “Biden Aides Grapple with 2024 Outreach as Israel-Hamas War Exposes Cracks in Coalition,” CNN, 5/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/47zy4t3

[8] Matthew Lee & Eric Tucker, “Blinken Warns Israel that Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza Must Improve to Have ‘Partners for Peace’,” Associated Press, 4/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3G1dGVT

[9] Ibid.

[10] Nichols.

[11] Steve Holland, Doina Chiacu & Nandita Bose, “Biden Gets Four-Hour Battle Pauses from Israel after Pushing for Three-Day Stoppages,” Reuters, 9/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/46ilxsM

[12] Jennifer Hansler, “Blinken Denounces Civilian Toll in Gaza, Says ‘Far Too Many Palestinians Have Been Killed’,” CNN, 10/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/47kCiVF

[13] Courtney McBride, Ben Bartenstein, and Peter Martin, “US Frustration with Israel Grows as Gaza Civilian Deaths Mount,” Bloomberg, 15/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3sqXV7K

[14] Rozina Sabur, “US Gives Israel Warning as it Sets Out Vision for Peace in Gaza,” The Telegraph, 8/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/47zzgwx

[15] Ibid.

[16] Brittany Bernstein, “Jake Sullivan Lays Out U.S. Vision for Gaza: No Reoccupation, No Forcible Displacement of Palestinians,” The National Review, 12/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3uhJl2R

[17] Patrick Wintour, “What Happens to Gaza the Day after The War Ends?,” The Guardian, 5/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/3R3x3nL

[18] Ibid.

[19] Jared Malsin, “U.S. Plans $320 Million Weapons Transfer to Israel as Gaza Toll Mounts,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/11/2023, accessed on 16/11/2023, at: https://bit.ly/49B4ftZ

[20] “Washington warns of the length of the war on Gaza and calls on Israel to reduce its goals,” Al-Jazeera Net,