President Joe Biden, in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanded that Israel enact an “immediate ceasefire” in its war against Hamas and threatened that the U.S. would change its support for Israel if it does not meet the administration’s demands.
Biden attacked Israel for the humanitarian situation inside Gaza, calling it “unacceptable,” even though Israel has worked to allow aid to flow into the area, but has had to do so in a manner that prevents weapons from entering.
“[Biden] made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a readout of the call. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”
“He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the Prime Minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home,” the statement continued.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby confirmed at the White House press briefing shortly after the readout was published that Biden did threaten Israel if it did not meet his demands.
“If there’s no changes to their policy and their approaches, then there’s going to have to be changes to ours,” Kirby said.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby: "We're looking for concrete steps to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza…If there's no changes to their policy and their approaches then there's going to have to be changes to ours." pic.twitter.com/VTYscchJ9J
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 4, 2024
Biden’s continued shift away from supporting Israel comes as he trails former President Donald Trump in the polls, including in swing states where far-Left Democrats and Muslim voters disprove of his support for Israel.
The shift also comes after The New York Times reported this week that his wife, first lady Jill Biden, reportedly demanded that Biden stop Israel’s airstrikes against Hamas targets inside Gaza.
“Stop it, stop it now, Joe,” Jill Biden reportedly said.
Her remarks come after several aid workers were killed by accident in an Israeli airstrike this week.
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“Unfortunately, in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “This happens in war. We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence.”
During Biden’s disastrous withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021 — which has led to a reemergence of ISIS that top officials are warning poses a serious threat to U.S. national security — 10 innocent Afghan nationals, including seven children, were killed in a U.S. drone strike.
The drone strike happened as U.S. forces were on high alert following a terror attack at the airport in Kabul that killed 13 U.S. troops.
Biden has said little-to-nothing about the drone strike.