Leaked Cables Warn of Growing Anti-American Rage in Arab World Amid US' Israeli Support
21:53 GMT 10.11.2023 (Updated: 09:24 GMT 05.12.2023)
© AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta
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American diplomats have warned President Joe Biden that US support for Israel “is losing us Arab publics for a generation.”
Two diplomatic cables recently leaked to US media warn that America’s support for Israel’s bloody military campaign in Gaza is causing damage to the country’s image that may never be repaired.
“We are losing badly on the messaging battlespace,” says one cable emanating from the US Embassy in Oman on Wednesday. It warns that strong US support for Israel is viewed “as material and moral culpability in what they consider to be possible war crimes.”
The cable was addressed to multiple officials at the White House National Security Council, the CIA, and the FBI.
Another leaked cable from the US embassy in Egypt quoted a local newspaper editorial saying “President Biden’s cruelty and disregard for Palestinians exceeded all previous US presidents.” The cables mirror growing global opposition to Israel’s actions as the country has recently been the target of strong criticism from governments throughout the world.
But the leaked diplomatic correspondence underscores that criticism in the Arab world extends to the United States as well, as US President Joe Biden has expressed unyielding support for the country’s Middle Eastern ally. The US president recently claimed there was “no possibility” for an Israeli ceasefire in Gaza when asked about the subject at a Thursday news conference.
Reporter: “What are the chances of a Gaza ceasefire?”
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 9, 2023
President Biden: “None. No possibility.” pic.twitter.com/Et3Uqj3zi9
The death toll in Gaza has recently risen to over 11,000 according to the local health ministry, with at least 4,500 of those deaths being people under 18, prompting the head of the United Nations to call the besieged territory a “graveyard for children.” The UN has noted that death tolls released by Gaza’s authorities have proven to be accurate in the past.
Recent reports have warned that Gaza’s population of 2.3 million may be on the brink of suffering mass starvation as Israel has only allowed very limited amounts of humanitarian aid to enter amidst a siege of the enclave.
Heavy Israeli bombardment with the use of phosphorus shells near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is ongoing, reports Palestinian television.
— S p r i n t e r X (@SprinterX99880) November 10, 2023
According to the Palestinian media, heavy fighting is taking place around the city of Gaza. pic.twitter.com/lHN6FG5sp9
The leaked cables come amidst reporting suggesting a dramatic decline in support for Biden among Muslim Americans.
“We told him [Biden] directly, in our personal capacities, that if you do not call for an immediate ceasefire, you will not get our votes in 2024,” said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The spokesperson accused Biden of “betraying” Palestinians and allowing a “genocide” to take place in Gaza.
“What we see from him is completely one-sided support for the state of Israel,” said Awad.
A recent survey by the Arab American Institute (AAI) showed that support for Biden among Arab Americans has declined by 42% since 2020. The poll found that 17% of Arab American voters plan to support Biden’s reelection in 2024, while 40% say they’ll support former US President Donald Trump.
