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Thursday, December 14, 2023

A major reality about Israel - Gaza - Hamas, which transcends posturing, declarations, and other press coverage.

https://edition.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-12-13-23/h_5f09647fd6da58f997d836a89d7a294c  --- in part:

6:36 a.m. ET, December 13, 2023

No plans to place conditions on military aid to Israel, Biden administration says

From CNN's Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis and MJ Lee

A U.S. C-17 sits at the Nevatim Air Base in the desert in Israel, on October 13. The aircraft arrived with crates of American munitions for Israel.
A U.S. C-17 sits at the Nevatim Air Base in the desert in Israel, on October 13. The aircraft arrived with crates of American munitions for Israel. Lolita Baldor/AP

The Biden administration currently has no plans to place conditions on the military aid it is providing to Israel, officials told CNN, despite growing calls by Democratic lawmakers and human rights organizations for the US to stop providing weapons unless Israel does more to protect civilians in Gaza.

Speaking to Democratic donors [ who, specifically??] in Washington this week, President Joe Biden acknowledged that he has had tough conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel’s military campaign, how Israel is losing international support, and the need for a two-state solution led by the Palestinian Authority.

But he said even throughout those discussions, “we’re not going to do a damn thing other than protect Israel in the process. Not a single thing.”

Echoing that sentiment, US officials told CNN that the US has no plans to shift its position and draw any red lines around the transfer of weapons and munitions to Israel.

They noted that the administration already expects allies and partners to use US-made equipment in accordance with international humanitarian law and pointed to Israel’s practice of embedding military lawyers with Israel Defense Force units who determine beforehand whether a strike will be proportional and legal.

Read the full story here.

[some links added] The two state solution is being seriously discussed, or at least talked about, while the ground offensive Israel is conducting will take as long as needed, no red lines imposed per weapons support, time being uncertain. Also, once active firing stops, how Gaza will be occupied, if occupied, is an open-ended question. For now Biden is feeling political pressures, leading to cautionary statements, but the weapon shipments go through, the Security Council vetoes too.