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. 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.
[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.
