President Joe Biden is at the center of controversy following his ultimatum that a major Israeli offensive in Rafah would lead to a suspension of some US weapons. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized Biden’s decision, with concerns raised about the impact on Palestinian casualties. Republican Senator JD Vance pointed out the contradiction in withholding precision guided weapons that could reduce civilian casualties while expressing concern over high Palestinian civilian death tolls. This ultimatum marked a significant shift in US-Israeli relations during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The Biden administration had previously warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the consequences of continuing the offensive in Rafah. Biden’s decision to halt the supply of weapons, including bombs and artillery shells, to Israel for use in Rafah has drawn sharp criticism. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called it the worst decision in US-Israeli history and urged the administration to resume weapon shipments to Israel. Senator Rick Scott accused Biden of aligning with the “pro-Hamas wing” of his party. However, some House Democrats also expressed concern about the message this decision sends to Hamas.
Democratic representatives, including Adam Smith and Chris Murphy, defended Biden’s decision, highlighting the importance of withholding certain weapons to prevent further civilian casualties in Rafah. They emphasized the need to learn from past US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and avoid strengthening terrorist organizations through excessive civilian harm. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Israel needed to do more in mitigating civilian deaths and noted the large number of casualties in Gaza due to Israeli military operations. The State Department’s report acknowledged concerns about the use of US weapons by Israeli forces in ways inconsistent with international humanitarian law.
The report, however, did not explicitly state that Israel had violated international law or withheld humanitarian aid to Gaza. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the report for not providing a clear accounting of the facts and the law, possibly allowing Netanyahu to continue deadly strikes without consequences. Senator Murphy agreed that the report could have gone further in addressing the complexity of the situation and the decisions made by the Israeli military. Senator Chris Coons defended Biden’s actions in response to the criticism, noting the blowback faced by the president for his public statements.
Overall, the controversy surrounding Biden’s ultimatum to Israel reflects the delicate balance between supporting US allies and addressing humanitarian concerns. Lawmakers from both parties have differing views on the impact of Biden’s decision on US-Israeli relations and the conflict in Gaza. While some Democrats support the president’s efforts to prevent further civilian casualties, others believe the administration should have taken a firmer stance on Israel’s actions. The ongoing conflict highlights the challenges of balancing strategic interests with humanitarian considerations in US foreign policy.
