A recent report has revealed that senior officials within the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden refrained from exerting significant pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire during the ongoing war in Gaza. The conflict, which began in October 2023, has led to catastrophic casualties, particularly among Palestinian civilians, with the death toll surpassing 50,000.
The investigation, conducted by Israel’s Channel 13, includes statements from nine top U.S. officials who admitted that the Biden administration chose not to intervene directly with Tel Aviv, despite the increasing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As the war dragged on, with mounting civilian casualties, U.S. officials maintained their support for Israel without calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Former Israeli Ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, praised the Biden administration’s approach, highlighting that the U.S. never pressured Israel to halt its military operations. “God did the regime a favor that Biden was the president during this period,” Herzog said. “We fought in Gaza for over a year, and the administration never came to us and said, ‘ceasefire now.’ It never did. And that’s not to be taken for granted.”
Despite the intense humanitarian impact, which has disproportionately affected women and children in Gaza, U.S. officials, including former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and former Ambassador to Tel Aviv Tom Nides, defended their position. They emphasized the importance of unwavering support for Israel, even as the global community voiced increasing concerns over the scale of destruction.
A senior U.S. aide, however, referred to the ongoing conflict as “killing and destroying for the sake of killing and destroying,” acknowledging the indiscriminate nature of the warfare that has devastated the civilian population.
The Biden administration’s reluctance to press Israel for a ceasefire aligns with its broader policy of military support. Reports emerged in January of an $8-billion arms deal between the U.S. and Israel, which included munitions for warplanes, attack helicopters, artillery shells, and other weaponry. This deal, along with the continued provision of arms, has been a point of contention as the war has intensified.
Analysis
This investigation sheds light on the complexities of U.S.-Israel relations, particularly regarding the Gaza conflict, where U.S. support for Israel remains unwavering, even in the face of significant international and humanitarian concerns. The Biden administration’s actions, or lack thereof, in pressuring Israel for a ceasefire may have long-term implications for U.S. foreign policy and its relationship with the broader Middle East, especially as the war continues to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
