US President Joe Biden has reportedly been working for weeks behind the scenes to protest Israel’s bloody campaign in the Gaza Strip, although officials suggest he is unsure how to go about it.
“After weeks of private administration requests produced fewer results than the White House wants, the sources said, the U.S. is considering slowing or pausing [arms] deliveries in the hope that doing so will prod the Israelis to take action,” read a report in US media Sunday. The opening of humanitarian corridors or the authorization for more aid to enter Gaza were cited as two examples of policy the Biden administration would reportedly like Israel to adopt.
Conversely, the Biden administration is also considering providing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with more weapons to convince the country to change tack.
“Administration officials have also discussed offering the Israeli government more of the weaponry it has requested as an incentive,” the report read.
The confused policy demonstrates Biden’s political dilemma as Israel’s operation in Gaza, which has killed over 26,000, is protested by wide swaths of the American public. Younger voters and Arab-Americans, in particular, have voiced opposition to US aid to Israel in various surveys. Both demographics typically vote Democrat and are thought to be necessary for Biden to defeat former US President Donald Trump in November’s presidential election.
But Biden has been a career-long strong supporter of Israel. “Were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interest in the region,” he once declared from the floor of the US Senate. Biden has insisted there are “no red lines” Israel could cross that would cause the country to lose his support.
Biden’s loyalty has been richly rewarded. A recent study found the US president receives more funding from the pro-Israel lobby than any other politician in the country, raking in millions of dollars over the years.
Last month, Biden used emergency powers to fast-track an arms shipment to Israel without congressional oversight, again demonstrating his firm commitment to arming the country.
Biden’s apparent unwillingness so far to use material leverage against Israel has caused critics to conclude his administration’s alleged attempts to pressure the country are mere political posturing.
“We have [remained committed to supporting Israel] since Oct 7, and will continue to,” a Biden National Security Council spokesperson was quoted as saying. “There has not been a change in our policy.”
The spokesperson reached out to the story’s author after publication to ensure the comment was included, suggesting the importance the White House places on stressing its position to Israel supporters.