U.S. President Joe Biden and his team have recently changed their stance on the Israel-Hamas crisis. They are now emphasizing the importance of protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza, especially as there is a potential Israeli ground invasion on the horizon.
However, it’s important to note that President Biden still believes that Israel has the right and responsibility to defend itself, particularly after the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people in southern Israel.
The text suggests that the increasing Palestinian casualties and the challenges in rescuing hostages held by Hamas, along with growing international pressure, have led President Biden’s team to call for a humanitarian pause in Israel’s actions and focus on providing aid to Palestinians. The change in tone is attributed to the worsening humanitarian crisis and conversations with other countries.
There has been internal debate on the U.S. message, with a shift from unwavering support for Israel to a more nuanced approach. The administration didn’t anticipate the rapid increase in Palestinian casualties or the swift deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
According to Middle East expert Aaron David Miller of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, “I think the framing has clearly changed, unsurprisingly, in response to changing circumstances and what appears to be an even greater looming catastrophe should the Israelis move into Gaza with a major campaign.”
The 80-year-old Biden has changed in response to a difficult reelection campaign in 2024, threats from some potential voters to abstain due to his lack of sympathy for the Palestinian cause, and a cautionary tale from former President Barack Obama regarding the potential consequences of Israel’s actions.
Israeli officials and those who support them in the United States have privately expressed concern to Reuters that as time goes on following the horrors carried out by Hamas on October 7, the world’s attention will grow more focused on death and destruction from the Israeli assault in Gaza.
According to a U.S. source, Biden’s aides are pushing their Israeli colleagues to deliberate more thoroughly on their withdrawal plan before to launching a full-scale ground assault.
The source also stated that U.S. officials have warned against developing specifics of such a plan “on the fly,” as was frequently the case for the country in the early phases of the Iraq War.
A separate source familiar with the conversations said that U.S. military advisers stationed in the area are advising their Israeli counterparts to exercise caution because any invading force will encounter challenging terrain, a maze of tunnels, and booby-trapped buildings that could increase casualties among Israeli soldiers and Gaza civilians.
Rare remarks on a current dilemma in global affairs The Democratic predecessor and previous boss of Biden, Obama, issued a warning this week, stating that Israel’s decision to shut off food and water to Gaza could “harden Palestinian attitudes for generations.”
When asked if the administration worked with Biden’s Democratic predecessor, the White House remained silent.
Arab leaders apply pressure.
Biden gave Israel his wholehearted support as Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, claiming he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “Israel has the right to defend itself and its people.” Complete halt.”
The Palestinian people were not mentioned by him.
Before leaving for the Middle East on October 11, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to reporters and stated that his main goal for the trip was to demonstrate strong support for Israel by giving it all the military hardware it requires to protect itself.
Blinken declared, “The United States has Israel’s back.” He made no mention of humanitarian relief.
During Blinken’s six-day visit, Israeli airstrikes caused a sharp increase in the number of deaths in Gaza, and worries about food and water intensified. Every Arab authority Blinken encountered in the area urged him to solve the rapidly worsening situation in Gaza as soon as possible.
Some addressed the U.S. president personally, while Blinken conveyed the concerns of Arab leaders.
U.S. officials were particularly shaken by the fierce demonstrations against Israel that ensued after the explosion at a Palestinian hospital last week, which both Israel and the United States blamed on Palestinian militants.
According to U.S. officials, the protests served as a warning about the potential for escalation during any land attack since they demonstrated how Israel’s enemies would try to exploit misinformation to incite unrest.
Humanitarian Pause
This week has seen the fastest change in U.S. policy, with backing for an end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza to allow supplies to enter and people to flee.
Speaking to reporters on October 23, White House security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the US wants to ensure that “Israel has the tools it needs to defend itself and to go after Hamas and that humanitarian assistance keeps flowing.” Kirby was asked about calls from around the world for a humanitarian halt.
A day later, Blinken and Kirby made a formal case for one. The change came in response to cries for help to be allowed in from U.N. agencies and a call for civilians to be safeguarded made by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The United States changed the focus of its own U.N. resolution from Israel’s right to self-defense to a demand for all measures, including humanitarian pauses, to ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid access.
Biden’s statements from Wednesday contrast those from October 7 and indicate a change in course. At a news conference, Biden stated, “Israel has to do everything in its power, as difficult as it is, to protect innocent civilians.”
He also made an uncommon attack on Israel’s “extremist settlers” in the West Bank, calling them to be like gasoline on a fire. After the crisis passes, he urged for a “concentrated effort” to work toward an agreement that would allow Israel and a new Palestinian state to coexist side by side.
Biden, however, also voiced doubts about Palestinian calculations of the dead toll and reiterated his unwavering support for Israel. At the news conference, Netanyahu declared that he “no confidence” in the figures the Palestinians were providing regarding the death toll in Gaza.
