“Which do you believe, me or your own eyes?” Never has that famous Marxism (Groucho, not Karl) been more relevant than in the question of Israel’s compliance with US and international law. Will Americans believe their eyes or the Israeli government?
Last Monday, the US State Department deemed Israel in compliance with President Biden’s landmark national security memorandum issued in February. The memorandum required that recipients of U.S. weapons must demonstrate compliance with international law and must not obstruct or prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The State Department made this decision despite all credible evidence to the contrary. The more than 1 million starving civilians in Gaza (perhaps 90% of the remaining population) would disagree. And all aid agencies operating within the Gaza Strip testify to the ongoing catastrophe there.
An average of 159 aid trucks entered the country each day in March, far short of the goal of 500 needed to deal with the crisis. Despite calls from the United States and other countries, the Erez border from Israel to northern Gaza, where famine is worst, remains closed. As the recent tragic killings of seven World Central Kitchen volunteers highlight, international aid organizations are struggling to gain access to Gaza, and their staff are working in the most dangerous conditions. .
The Biden administration knows this. There’s no need to spend billions of dollars building temporary ports or airlifting food to areas where aid is already flowing smoothly. The logistics of preventing mass starvation deaths are already difficult, as Congress has already ruled out aid to UNRWA, the only agency in Gaza with the personnel and local knowledge to distribute aid.
This finding of Israel’s “compliance” thus contradicts other laudable attempts by Biden to hold the Netanyahu government accountable.
Congress knows that too. 17 people led by Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Democratic senators warned the State Department that Israel’s commitments: There was no credibility or credibility regarding compliance with the February memorandum.
Congress should demand that the administration provide a full and immediate public explanation detailing how the State Department reached its decision. It’s not too late. This initial decision was only provisional. Since then, each day has proven that the famine is primarily due to the Israeli blockade and is almost certain to continue until the May 8 deadline.
As Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) stated, “The State Department’s position makes a mockery of U.S. law…Israel is not violating international law or interfering with U.S. humanitarian assistance.” Pretending is as foolish as it may seem.”
It is difficult to understand the State Department’s thinking. If they really believe in Israel’s guarantees, few foreign policy experts would still find credibility in the Israeli government’s claims on this issue. If they are to navigate the domestic political minefield of support for and opposition to Israel’s actions, they should take another look at where Americans actually stand.
According to the latest Gallup poll, 55% of Americans currently disapprove of Israel’s military action in Gaza. This is the first time the poll has found a majority disapproval, an increase of 10% since November.
Since the horror of the Hamas attack on October 7, Israel has lost international alliances, reputation, and social cohesion in an overwhelmingly bad war, with no long-term security gains. Although Hamas is in decline, it still exists, and there is no reason to believe that further sacrifices of Palestinian civilians and IDF soldiers will make it disappear.
The gap between what the Israeli government says and what it does is widening by the day. Sadly, so too is the gap between what Israel must contend with, a long-term two-state political solution, and the fanatical, ethnocentric policies of its leaders.
While the Israeli government is funding the breeding of the Red Cow as a theological prelude to the construction of the Third Temple after the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque, we Americans are somehow destroying Israelis and Palestinians alike. This allows for potential conflicts.
Reversing the State Department’s decision is an important step toward ensuring that U.S. military aid is used only in accordance with our nation’s policies and values. If the administration allows this, Congress must take responsibility for ensuring that American aid is consistent with our commitment to peace and democracy.
Hadar Susskind is President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now.
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