Senate Democrats challenge Biden on Israel and seek assurances on aid
The Republican-led House approved the money for Israel last week, but that bill is dead by the time it reaches the Senate because it also includes cuts to domestic spending and omits aid from Ukraine. The Senate has not yet taken up an alternative.
The senators did not threaten to withhold their support for aid to Israel, but their pointed demands for more information and accountability about the weapons they will have to approve were further evidence of a shift in tone among Democrats on the war. It parallels that of Mr Biden himself, who has become more critical of Israel’s response to the Hamas attack – which killed more than 1,400 people and took hundreds hostage – which has caused mounting casualties and led to a humanitarian crisis. in Gaza.
The senators distinguished between defensive aid to Israel, for which they expressed unequivocal support, and military aid that would further Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip, about which they raised important questions.
“We believe that the United States should immediately provide Israel with the funding it needs to replenish its defense systems, including Iron Dome and other air defense capabilities,” the group wrote. “But to better understand the effectiveness of U.S. funding supporting Israeli operations in Gaza, we respectfully ask your team to provide us with information regarding these two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that addresses the threat of Hamas and will effectively degrade and defeat Israel. take all possible measures to protect civilians in Gaza.”
The senators said they were invested in Israel’s success, and that their concerns were rooted in a desire to see Israel avoid the kind of strategic blunders that could worsen its long-term security.
“The October 7 attacks brought back chilling memories of the United States’ confrontation with terror 22 years ago,” they wrote. They encouraged Israel to “learn from the mistakes the United States has made in our fight against terrorism by focusing on realistic and achievable military objectives, and adhering to the laws of war, including the protection of civilians.”
The letter from Senate Democrats also comes amid mounting pressure from the party’s left wing, where lawmakers and activists have agitated for a ceasefire and condemned Mr. Biden for inciting what they accuse of a genocide of the Palestinians. Genocide yes defined in international law as a crime committed with intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, whether in time of war or peace. Israeli leaders have said they are targeting Hamas, not Palestinian civilians.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday evening censured Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan and the only Palestinian American in Congress, for her harsh criticism of Israel and suggestions that its policies prompted the Hamas attack and her embrace of a pro-Palestinian slogan that many consider a call for the destruction of Israel. She used the debate on the resolution to plead for sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people.
In the letter, Senate Democrats asked for information on “what specific mechanisms you are putting in place to ensure that Israeli military operations in Gaza are conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and to ensure that US-supplied equipment is used in a manner consistent with U.S. law.” They specifically requested an assessment of whether Israel’s military rules, particularly regarding limiting civilian casualties, are consistent with U.S. policy and practice.
White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the letter.
Mr. Biden and his top deputies have repeatedly stated that the United States stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel in its effort to eradicate the threat from Hamas. But in recent weeks, he and top administration officials have emphasized the importance of protecting Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire, urging Israeli leaders to take humanitarian pauses to allow supplies to continue of food, water and fuel to the besieged Gaza residents. of leaving the Strip to escape the fighting.
Many signatories to the letter urged the government to prioritize the protection of Palestinian civilians both in Gaza and the West Bank, where dozens have been killed by settler violence since the war began. In the letter, they ask Mr. Biden to obtain public guarantees from both Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president with authority over the West Bank, to suppress violent attacks on each other’s people.
The signatories represent a cross-section of Senate Democrats who have taken different positions on the conflict in recent days. Mr. Durbin is the only one who has endorsed calls for a ceasefire under certain conditions, including Hamas first agreeing to release all hostages in custody. Two independent senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, also signed the letter.