State Department

2024-05-09

Senate Majority Leader and House Speaker Mike Johnson penned a letter to on Wednesday where the leaders questioned the in-progress reviews of Israel's wartime conduct following the announcement of a to Israel pending its operation in Rafah.  McConnell and Johnson said they have not been able to obtain pertinent information from the Department of State or the Pentagon regarding the ongoing review of Israel's assurances that it's following US and international law.  The State Department was slated to release its review of Israel's assurances to Congress on Wednesday but said the report will be out "in the coming days." The letter said the American public deserves to understand the "nature, timing and scope of these reviews." McConnell and Johnson called for the White House's response by the end of the week on the timing of the report, if other shipments will be similarly delayed, what office is responsible for conducting the review and when the review is anticipated to end to allow the arms assistance to move forward.   Iron dome anti-missile system fires interception missiles as rockets fired from Lebanon, as it seen over Kiryat Shmona, March 5, 2024. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90) "Israel faces an existential and multi-front threat as recently demonstrated by the direct attack by Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists, and daylight between the United States and Israel at this dangerous time risks emboldening Israel's enemies and undermining the trust that other allies and partners have in the United States," the letter said. The Republican leaders noted that while the assistance funded by the supplemental appropriations bill will not be impacted, security assistance to Israel is an urgent priority that must not be delayed.  "These recent press reports and pauses in critical weapons shipments call into question your pledge that your commitment to Israel's security will remain ironclad," the letter said.  The leaders said they expect the Biden administration to push "departments, agencies and industry" to expedite contracting, production and delivery of weapons and munitions "critical to defense of the United States and free world." Earlier Wednesday, during the Senate Republican leadership's news conference, McConnell said he spoke to both Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in the past 24 hours to express his concern that delaying the shipment of weapons to Israel is just another way of trying to govern how an ally conducts its war.  "This is obviously an extremely challenging situation," McConnell said. "I think the last thing we ought to be doing is telling our Democratic allies you ought to have an election or you ought not to conduct this war in a certain way." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-09

, for the first time, said he'd halt US weapons shipments to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a major operation in Rafah, according to an exclusive interview CNN conducted with the president, which will air later Wednesday night.  Earlier Wednesday, told the Senate Appropriations Committee the US to Israel of payload munitions due to concerns over Rafah.  Biden told CNN that civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of US bombs and other ways Israel goes after population centers.  For months, officials across Biden's administration at the State Department and Pentagon have held meetings and phone calls pleading with their Israeli counterparts to take a more targeted approach to eliminating Hamas' remaining battalions in Rafah.  US President Joe Biden (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) (credit: FLASH90) Biden's officials have maintained they oppose Netanyahu's current battle plans in Rafah as more than one million Gazans have sought refuge in the southern Gaza city.  “We've also been very clear about the steps that we want to see Israel take” to protect civilians in a major combat situation, Austin said on Wednesday. "The US doesn’t want such a major IDF combat operation to take place, but if it does proceed, our focus is on making sure that we protect the civilians.” For as long as Netanyahu has foreshadowed his plans to invade Rafah, the Biden administration has faced intense questioning over its response to an operation it doesn't condone.  However, Austin said the US remains committed to supporting Israel's security and right to self-defense.  “Our commitment to Israel is ironclad,” and the US has flown billions in security assistance to Israel, and “we will continue to do what is necessary to support Israel,” he said. “We are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of the unfolding events in Rafah.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-08

After an initial deadline slated for Wednesday, the State Department said there's just a "brief delay" in publishing its report which assesses Israel's assurances that its use of US weapons in its war against Hamas or international law.  State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller wouldn't specify when exactly the report will be released, saying it will be up "in the coming days." Miller denied allegations that the delay in producing the report indicates is not taking Israel's assurances seriously.  "We have taken this incredibly seriously...but it is also important that we get this right, that we do a thorough job. This is the first time the department has conducted such an exercise," Miller said. "So we are taking all deliberate care to make sure that we get everything in it absolutely correct. It will be just a brief delay." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits IDF soldiers in northern Gaza, December 25, 2023 (credit: GPO/AVI OHAYON) Reuters reported last month that some senior US officials do not find Israel's assurances credible. The Reuters report, along with investigations by outside organizations like Amnesty International, has prompted some lawmakers to call on the Biden administration not to tilt the report toward Israel. The memorandum bars any recipient of from restricting the delivery of humanitarian aid.The report deadline comes amid concern about famine in Gaza and calls from the United States, other governments and international bodies for Israel to refrain from launching a big offensive against Rafah, a city that Israel calls Hamas fighters' last stronghold but is also the refuge of more than 1 million displaced Palestinian civilians. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-07

Israel is committed to winning the war, while the United States wants the war to end, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post after the expressed its opposition to a major Israeli military operation in Rafah. “Americans want the war to end, and we want to win the war. And I hope that those two things can converge,” the Israeli official said.  US President Joe Biden spoke of his opposition to the Rafah operation in his phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The call had been preplanned, but it was held hours after the IDF began evacuating Palestinians from the eastern part of Rafah and before the IDF seized control of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza side. The move comes as Israel is in the middle of negotiating a deal for the return of the remaining 132 hostages. It holds that the Rafah operation is an important pressure lever in those talks but also a necessary step in ending the war and ensuring the total defeat of Hamas. US President Joe Biden (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) (credit: FLASH90) The US supports the defeat of Hamas but wants Israel to do without a major military operation. The Israeli official said of the Biden-Netanyahu conversation that it “was better than I expected. I think they were very candid toward one another. We were very clear about what we intended to do. They were very clear about what they want.” US National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby and State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller both spoke out against a Rafah operation after the call, during briefings with reporters. At issue for the US has been more than 1.3 million Palestinians in that area, many of whom fled there for safety from the north in the early stages of the war. Kirby said, “We've made clear our views about operations in Rafah that could potentially put more than a million innocent people at greater risk.  “During his call with , the President again made this clear,” he stressed. The Israeli official said that the US position has been that they are against a major operation but not any operation.  “They are not against defeating Hamas, and they are not against taking out Hamas leadership, but they want the war to end, and we also want the war to end with our total victory. “The Prime Minister and the government are determined to achieve Israel's war objectives: Destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, , and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel and the civilized world in the future,” the official stated. Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-06

The United States has voiced its opposition to the proposed Rafah offensive by Israel, expressing grave concerns about the potential humanitarian impact on the over one million Palestinians residing in the area.  State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller delivered the statement, emphasizing that the U.S. has yet to see a credible and implementable plan to safeguard the lives of civilians in Rafah. Miller asserted, "The U.S. will not support the Rafah offensive currently envisioned by Israel." He underscored that the would exacerbate the suffering of the Palestinian people and lead to a significant increase in civilian casualties. "Such an offensive would dramatically increase the suffering of the Palestinian people," Miller remarked. Furthermore, Miller raised apprehensions about the disruption of vital humanitarian assistance, which primarily reaches the area targeted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). "It would disrupt the delivery of humanitarian assistance, which largely comes through the areas that the IDF plans to target," he cautioned. The State Department spokesperson also highlighted the logistical challenges of facilitating safe evacuation routes and ensuring access to basic necessities such as shelter and sanitation for civilians in Rafah. "There are such limited places for them to go inside Gaza," Miller noted. With internal distribution lines yet to be established, Miller cautioned that setting up such mechanisms amidst ongoing conflict would be exceedingly difficult.  He stressed the urgent need for credible plans to protect civilian lives and mitigate the humanitarian impact of the proposed offensive. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-06

Iran tried to use a meeting of the (OIC) convened in Banjul, The Gambia, on May 4 and 5, in order to advance its agenda. In general, the meeting did include a declaration supporting the Palestinians. However, that was to be expected. According to a report at the SPA, “the summit culminated in the Banjul Declaration, in which OIC leaders reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the organization's core principles and objectives, which encompass respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, non-interference in internal affairs, and peaceful resolution of disputes, as well as to the noble values of Islam: unity, brotherhood, peace, solidarity, compassion, tolerance, equality, justice, moderation, balance, and human dignity.”  This was general language. However, the meeting did include a statement in which the countries “expressed solidarity with the people of Gaza Strip, condemning the over-six-month-old Israeli aggression and its devastating humanitarian impact. OIC leaders urged the international community to take immediate steps to stop the Israeli occupation's crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip.”  Reports in the Gulf highlighted this declaration. The leaders at the meeting also said they would work with the “and make every effort to accelerate the arrival of all humanitarian aid and reject any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land." The meeting did not produce a lot of outbursts against Israel, as some similar types of summits have in the past. For instance, in 2003, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohammed, used a summit to bash Israel and claim that Jews “rule the world by proxy.”  At the time, he said, "We are actually very strong, 1.3 billion people cannot be simply wiped out. The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million. But today, the Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.”US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with foreign ministers from the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League, to discuss the future of Gaza, at the State Department in Washington, US, December 8, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN)  Today, the OIC wants a ceasefire in Gaza. The meeting in Gambia came on the eve of Israel’s decision to call for residents of eastern Rafah to evacuate. Iran’s foreign minister attended the meetings in Gambia and sought to gain influence with meetings with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Indonesia.  Egypt has ties to Israel, but Saudi Arabia and Indonesia do not. Iran wanted to use the meeting to influence several countries against Israel, likely believing that Saudi Arabia or Indonesia might be considering normalization with Israel.  The rest of the declaration from the meeting included boilerplate language that was to be expected. For instance the countries condemned anti-Muslim incidents in Europe. They called for countries to “address the disturbing growth of the phenomenon of Islamophobia and all forms of fanaticism, terrorism, violence and extremism leading to violence, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and discrimination of all kinds on the basis of ethnicity, tribe, color and religion.” The countries also called for “alleviating the burden of poverty, climate change, food security, health and education.”  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-04

An Iranian Jew told N12 in an article published on Saturday about his experiences moving from Iran to Israel and serving in the IDF. IDF St.-Sgt. D. was born and raised in Iran and even spent a day in the Iranian army during high school. D. told N12 that he, his brother, and their mother made aliyah during his final year of high school. Although his brother and mother came with him, his father stayed behind in Iran due to his work. This is why his identity has been anonymized. A year after D. arrived in Israel, he enlisted in the IDF in an artillery unit. D. saw combat on October 7, he told N12. He was praying in his local synagogue in Ashdod when he got the call. During prayer, he was taken from the synagogue, and by about 2:30 p.m., he had reconnected with his unit on base.  "This is it, the only thing I was really afraid of happening to me," he said, recalling October 7. "I saw the situation and told myself there would never be a war. There was nothing that would cause a war." An Iranian Jew prays in a synagogue in Shiraz, Iran (credit: US STATE DEPARTMENT/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) "I was in the twelfth grade when my mother said, 'Let's go to Israel.'" "I thought she was joking because she would talk a lot about aliyah, but nothing would happen. During the school year, she started working on it and arranging things, and that summer, I was at the airport in Iran with my mother and my younger brother. My brother and I were at an age where we were starting our lives, and she could not see our future in Iran." "In Iran, I thought the IDF was like a factory where Israeli children enter from one side, and men leave with a head on their shoulders," D. told N12. "It really should be like that. I saw that the commanders were talking at eye level. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, it creates problems. A commander should be more than a soldier." Although he faced hardship, including bullying from fellow soldiers due to his accent and origin, he eventually made a name for himself, so much so that his commanders were pleading with him to sign a contract and stay on as an officer, he said. "I was blessed with such a commander in the department who can do specialized tasks because he is very responsible, has good judgment, and can analyze," one of D.'s commanders told N12. D. reported that fighting on October 7 helped reinforce his Israeliness. He added that knowing what you're fighting for helps. D. was meant to be released from service earlier last year, but he was released late on December 5 due to the war, completing his obligatory service in the IDF. Afterward, he immediately signed up for the reserves. Not long before making aliyah, when he was still a high school student, he had the opportunity to experience the Iranian army. He and his classmates were sent for only one day to a military base for pre-draft military training intended to prepare them for military service, which is also compulsory in Iran. This makes him one of the few, if any, who got to wear the uniforms of the two militaries at the heart of the greatest rivalry in the Middle East. From one day in the Iranian army, D. cannot tell much except that the food in the IDF is superior. One important thing he did learn from his short foray into the Iranian army was discipline and an appreciation for the IDF's ways of doing things. Reflecting on this, he said, "I saw how they [officers] talk in the most disgusting way to the soldiers. I thought it would be like that here, too." "When I was in Iran, I heard a lot about the Iranian army and was sure all armies are like that. In Iran, a soldier does not see home for a month or two, at least not at the beginning of the service, and there, the officers behave very badly towards the soldiers, sometimes even beating them." "Here, the relationship with the soldiers is much better." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-04

Scores of lawmakers from 's Democratic Party told him on Friday that they believe there is sufficient evidence to show that Israel has violated US law by restricting humanitarian aid flows into war-stricken Gaza. A letter to Biden signed by 86 House of Representatives Democrats said Israel's aid restrictions "call into question" its assurances that it was complying with a US Foreign Assistance Act provision requiring recipients of US-funded arms to uphold international humanitarian law and allow free flows of US assistance. Such written assurances were mandated by a national security memorandum that Biden issued in February after Democratic lawmakers began questioning if Israel was upholding international law in its Gaza operations. The lawmakers said the Israeli government had resisted repeated US requests to open enough sea and land routes for aid to Gaza, and cited reports that it failed to allow in enough food to avert famine, enforced "arbitrary restrictions" on aid and imposed an inspection system that impeded supplies. "We expect the administration to ensure [Israel's] compliance with existing law and to take all conceivable steps to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza," the lawmakers wrote. Biden's memorandum requires that Secretary of report to Congress by Wednesday on whether he finds credible Israel's assurances that its use of US arms adheres to international law. At least four State Department bureaus advised Blinken last month that they found Israel's assurances "neither credible nor reliable." If Israel's assurances are questioned, Biden would have the option to "remediate" the situation through actions ranging from seeking fresh assurances to suspending US arms transfers, according to the memorandum. Displaced Palestinians, who fled their houses due to Israeli strikes, shelter in a tent camp, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip March 11, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/BASSAM MASOUD) Israel denies violating international law and limiting aid in its war against Gaza's ruling Hamas terrorist organization, which was triggered by their October 7 invasion of Israel's border, and the massacre of more than 1,200 people, as well as taking more than 200 hostages into Gaza. told NBC News that there was now "full-blown famine" in northern Gaza. In excerpts of an interview to be aired on Sunday on Meet the Press, McCain told NBC that she hoped for a ceasefire accord so that more aid could be delivered faster. "There is famine - full-blown famine - in the north, and it's moving its way south. And so what we're asking for and what we've continually asked for is a ceasefire and the ability to have unfettered access," said McCain, the widow of the late Senator John McCain. US officials say that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has taken steps that have boosted aid deliveries, the amounts remain insufficient. The lawmakers also condemned Hamas' October 7 attack in their letter, endorsed Israel's right to exist and expressed support for US efforts to broker a ceasefire and a second hostage release. Israel, they noted, recently opened more aid routes and crossing points into Gaza that have allowed in more aid trucks. But the lawmakers expressed "serious concerns" over Israel's conduct of the war "as it pertains to the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid." They urged Biden "to make clear" to Netanyahu "that so long as Israel restricts, directly or indirectly" aid to Gaza "the Israeli government is risking its eligibility for further offensive security assistance from the US" ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-03

Hamas, the terrorisy group controlling the Gaza Strip, attempted to divert a significant humanitarian aid shipment intended for Gaza from Jordan, according to statements made by a U.S. State Department spokesman. Matthew Miller, speaking during a press briefing, revealed that Hamas managed to hijack the aid shipment earlier in the week. However, the aid was ultimately recovered and returned to the organization responsible for its distribution. "The UN is in the process of recovering the goods, or has already recovered them, but Hamas committed an unacceptable act in diverting this aid," Miller emphasized, highlighting the gravity of the situation. He further noted that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is expected to issue a statement condemning the incident imminently. Miller expressed deep concern over Hamas's actions, stressing that the diversion of humanitarian aid jeopardizes the well-being of innocent civilians in Gaza who are in desperate need of assistance. "If there is one thing Hamas could do to undermine the delivery of aid, it would be to divert it for its own use, instead of letting it go to innocent civilians who need it," he stated. Describing the incident as the "first widespread case of hijacking seen" in Gaza, Miller indicated that Hamas held the aid trucks for a period before eventually releasing them.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-30

If US-Israel relations are like a roller-coaster ride, then US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s current visit comes as the car begins a gradual ascent after a steep dip. This is Blinken’s eighth trip to Israel since . Following two visits in October immediately after Hamas’s attack, he has visited and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war cabinet about every month since. Blinken’s last visit was on March 22, a time of heightened tension between Israel and the US over , with the US -- just a couple days after that visit  -- allowing the passage in the UN Security Council of a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire without linking that to Hamas’ release of the hostages. The administration was warning Israel in blunt language not to go into Rafah and publicly chastised it for not allowing more humanitarian aid into the coastal strip. Ten days later, Israel accidentally killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, sending the ties spiraling even further downward, with US President Joe Biden hinting in a television interview that he may reassess America’s position vis-a-vis the war if Israel does not alter course.  Then Iran fired more than , and the mood in Washington shifted. The US unequivocally stood by Israel in the face of that attack, both diplomatically and militarily, and last week passed a long-delayed aid bill giving Israel some $17 billion in wartime aid, with another nine billion in humanitarian aid going to Gaza and other war-torn areas.  Biden signed the bill despite objections by some in his party who want to condition military aid to Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu give a joint press conference, on January 30, 2023 (credit: RONALDO SCHEMIDT/POOL VIA REUTERS) In short, the vibe between the two countries as Blinken is set to meet Netanyahu on Wednesday morning is better than when they met the last time, as the US -- which in March seemed to be placing more pressure and onus for the catastrophe in Gaza on Israel’s doorstep -- now shifting the blame to Hamas. “Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel,” Blinken said of the hostage deal negotiations Tuesday at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh. “And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.” On April 23, David Satterfield, the outgoing State Department Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues, made it clear that “the fundamental actor responsible for the suffering here is a terrorist group, Hamas.” Although this seems like an obvious point, it needs to be stated by senior US officials, especially following weeks when criticism from Washington seemed directed more at Israel than Hamas. Asked by a reporter to “talk about Israel’s conduct of humanitarian affairs versus Hamas’s conduct of humanitarian affairs, broadly speaking,” Satterfield -- dumbfounded by the question -- replied: “Hamas has spent 17 years expending every resource provided for the people of Gaza for its own purposes in constructing a network of military facilities, tunnels, embedded in, under, around humanitarian facilities as a deliberate act of preservation and advancement of their interests. Hamas has sacrificed those thousands of innocent Gazans who had been lost after their brutal massacre on October 7th. Again, inconvenient truth – I’m going to keep reminding of that – something happened on the 7th of October which precipitated all of this.” Since Blinken’s last visit, therefore, the atmosphere between Israel and Jerusalem has improved. That was evident in a phone conversation Sunday between Biden and Netanyahu, which -- according to various accounts -- was considerably less strained than a call that followed the killing of the aid workers earlier last month. That being said, the administration continues to say that Israel needs to do more to relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and is repeating its warning to Israel not to go into Rafah until there is an operable plan to do so without harming the more than a million civilians who have found refuge there. Even as the atmosphere between Jerusalem and Israel is not as tense as it was a month ago --  the US two weeks ago vetoed another Palestinian bid at the UN Security Council for full membership in the world body --  every few days, something does pop up that could be interpreted as an effort to impact Israeli policy. A report last week that the US was going to sanction the IDF’s Netzach Yehuda unit or reports that the ICC is on the brink of issuing arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders could be seen as levers aimed at trying to impact Israeli policy with the idea being to subtly threaten Jerusalem that if it does not alter its policies, these could be some of the consequence of its actions. And then there are the swirling anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses, something that administration officials could wave in front of their Israeli interlocutors with the warning that if Israel moves into Rafah, these will only get worse, and Israel’s international isolation will only deepen. In that regard, a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released on Monday is telling because it contrasts starkly with the impression one could get from watching countless reports of those demonstrations on campus. The coverage of those protests can create the impression that public sentiment in the US has turned dramatically against Israel and toward Hamas. This poll’s results, however, indicate the opposite. According to the online poll conducted among 1,961 registered voters from April 24-25, fully 80% support Israel in the war, not an impression one would get by watching US media coverage of the war and the protests.  Even more telling is that 61% of the respondents said that a ceasefire should take place only after the release of all hostages and Hamas’ removal from power, while 39% support an unconditional ceasefire now that would “leave everyone in place.” Furthermore, 72% believe Israel should move forward with an operation in Rafah, even though there will be casualties, while 28% said Israel should stop and allow Hamas to continue running Gaza. Finally, while the media is reporting regularly the casualty figures put out by Hamas’s health ministry, only 51% of the public believes those figures are accurate, while 49% believe they are exaggerated. Poll figures such as these, and the sentiments they reflect,  may also have some effect -- even if just minor -- on the administration’s slight softening of tone toward Israel over the last month. After all, 48% of those polled said that the president’s Israel policy is based not only on concern for US national interests but also on “the perceived domestic politics for his re-election and threats from the Democratic base.” If the administration sees mainstream public sentiment remains strongly behind Israel, that might impact both tone and policy. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-29

The State Department continues to be in conversation with the Israeli government regarding the Netzah Yehuda unit and its human rights violations, said on Monday.  Patel rejected that the State Department is not acting out of impacted by the unit.  "This is a deliberate process. It is a detail oriented process and it is a rigorous process," Patel said.  The remediation standard is consistent and the same for all countries, Patel said, forcefully rejecting questions that Israel is being offered unique treatment. "There is no such thing as special treatment or double standards here," Patel said. "The standards of the Leahy Law are applied consistently to all countries." Patel said the Department has seen the remediation of four of five IDF units found to be in gross violation of human rights.  According to Patel, the Department is working to determine if Netzah Yehuda has effectively remediated.  The Israeli government has submitted additional information which the Department is reviewing, Patel said. These five units, including , are permitted to receive US security assistance.  The specifics of the violations are not available to the public.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-29

A Democratic senator on Sunday questioned whether the Biden administration was properly assessing whether Israel was complying with international law, following a Reuters report that some senior "This reporting casts serious doubt on the integrity of the process in the Biden administration for reviewing whether the Netanyahu government is complying with international law in Gaza," Senator Chris Van Hollen said in a statement. The Reuters report found that some senios have advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find "credible or reliable" Israel's assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law. Blinken must tell Congress by May 8 whether he finds Israel's assurances credible. According to an internal State Department memo, several bureaus within the agency did not find Israel's statements credible, citing military actions that raised questions about potential violations of international humanitarian law. IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, April 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Van Hollen said the Reuters report had found that the recommendations of those bureaus "were swept aside for political convenience." "The determination regarding compliance with international law is one of fact and law. The facts and law should not be ignored to achieve a pre-determined policy outcome. Our credibility is on the line," he said. Van Hollen and some other Democratic lawmakers have pressed President Joe Biden to impose conditions on military assistance to pressure Israel to limit civilian deaths in the Gaza conflict. So far, the administration has not done so. The war, now in its seventh month, was triggered by an attack by Hamas terrorists that left approximately 1,200 people in Israel dead and where 253 hostages were taken. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-28

Some senior United States officials advised the Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find Israel's assurances that it is using U.S.-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law "credible or reliable," reported Reuters after reviewing an internal State Department memo. The report comes ahead of May 8, when Blinken, under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) issued by the U.S. President Joe Biden back in February, must report to Congress whether he finds credible Israel's assurances that its use of U.S. weapons is in alignment with U.S. or international law. "Some components in the department favored accepting Israel's assurances, some favored rejecting them and some took no position," a U.S. official told Reuters. According to the report, a joint submission from four bureaus - Democracy Human Rights & Labor; Population, Refugees and Migration; Global Criminal Justice and International Organization Affairs – raised "serious concern over non-compliance" with international humanitarian law during Israel's war in Gaza. The assessment from the four agencies claimed that Israel's evidence was "neither credible nor reliable." The document cited eight examples of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) actions that the officials said raise "serious questions" about potential violations of international humanitarian law. The instances are said to include striking protected sites and civilian infrastructure, "unconscionably high levels of civilian harm to military advantage," taking little action to investigate violations or to hold to account those responsible for significant civilian harm and "killing humanitarian workers and journalists at an unprecedented rate." This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking manage preferences. The document also cited 11 instances of the Israeli military actions the officials said "arbitrarily restrict humanitarian aid," including rejecting entire trucks of aid due to a single "dual-use" item, "artificial" limitations on inspections as well as repeated attacks on humanitarian sites that should not be hit. Another submission to the memo from the bureau of Political and Military Affairs warned Blinken that suspending U.S. weapons would limit Israel's ability to meet potential threats outside its airspace and require Washington to re-evaluate "all ongoing and future sales to other countries in the region." The agency claimed that any suspension of U.S. arms sales would invite "provocations" by Iran and aligned groups. This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking manage preferences. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-25

The Pentagon is aware of reports that a small number of mortars landed in the vicinity of the marshaling yard area for humanitarian assistance that will eventually be the delivery site off the coast of Gaza.  The is tracking some type of mortar attack causing minimal damage in the vicinity of the marshaling yard area for US delivery of humanitarian aid off the coast of Gaza, Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said on Thursday afternoon.  Ryder said it's important to highlight this occurred before any US forces started moving any supplies, and no US assets were damaged. It's unclear if any Israeli assets sustained damage.  Ryder added that the USNS Benavidez has begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea.  Cypress is where aid will be stockpiled and loaded on the ships and Gaza is the shore where eventually this temporary causeway will connect, Ryder said.People enter the State Department Building in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2017. (credit: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS) The marshalling yard eventually will be in the vicinity of where the causeway will connect to, Ryder said, but the two essential pieces in the middle are the temporary pier which is out at sea and the causeway which will eventually join land and be anchored. According to Ryder, Defense Secretary has yet to speak with his Israeli counterparts on reports of mass graves found in Gaza with allegations of war crimes committed in the killing of the Palestinians found in the graves.  Earlier Thursday, a spokesperson said further information has been requested from Israel regarding the mass graves. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel faced scrutiny over the US' decision to allow Israel to conduct its own investigation into these allegations and not answer calls for an independent investigation. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-24

In addition to the in Gaza, the unprecedented Iranian attack, and Israel’s counterstrike, it’s easy to miss that Israel has also been fighting terrorists in areas currently controlled by the Palestinian Authority. At first, this week’s anti-terrorism raid in Tulkarm sounded like just a routine operation. But closer examination reveals three significant lessons for Israel. On the evening of April 18, Israeli forces entered the Nur Shams neighborhood near the Palestinian Authority-governed to arrest terrorists. It should have been a standard police action. But 16 hours later, the Israelis were still there and four soldiers had been wounded by Palestinian Arab terrorist gunfire. Why? Because this ordinary Arab neighborhood in the has a tremendous amount of heavily armed terrorists. According to Al Jazeera – the pro-terrorist Qatari mouthpiece that masquerades as a media agency – “Palestinian armed resistance fighters” were “using small arms as well as explosives” against the Israelis. The reason the Israelis were there at all is that the PA’s security forces weren’t. That’s the first lesson from this incident: once again, the PA refuses to fulfill its Oslo Accords obligation to arrest terrorists. The text of Oslo II explicitly requires the PA security forces to “apprehend, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators and all other persons directly or indirectly involved in acts of terrorism, violence, and incitement.” (Annex I, Article II, 3-c). Israeli forces operate in Tulkarm, in the West Bank, January 18, 2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) The PA certainly has the manpower to do the job. Over the years, its original 12,000-man police force has illegally ballooned into a 60,000-man de-facto army. That makes it the sixth-largest per-capita security force in the world, with a whopping 1,250 “police officers” per 100,000 people. Yet the PA refuses to use its forces against terrorists, forcing Israel to enter danger zones such as Tulkarm and do the job. In recent weeks, US State Department officials and J Street types have been claiming that the new PA cabinet represents a “revitalized,” moderate, peace-seeking government. If that were the case, then surely the PA would be delighted at Israel’s action in Tulkarm. After all, if the PA is anti-terrorist, then it should be overjoyed that Israel is arresting terrorists, right? Wrong. Here’s how the official PA news agency, WAFA, reported the incident: “The occupation army today unleashed a large-scale aggression against Nur Shams refugee camp,” and “a young man was killed by the Israeli military gunfire.” No mention of terrorists. No Arabs shooting at the Israelis. No rhyme or reason for the Israeli action – just the same old Jewish cruelty, “deliberately destroying main streets, alleyways, and water and wastewater networks.” That’s the second lesson from this week’s Tulkarm operation – that the PA may shuffle chairs in its cabinet, but the regime’s basic pro-terrorist, hate-Israel orientation has not changed one bit. Instead of fulfilling its Oslo requirement to live in peace with Israel, the PA actively spreads misinformation in order to incite the Palestinian Arab public to hate Israel. There’s a third lesson, too. This one requires just a glance at a map of the region. Tulkarm is the fourth-largest PA city. Which means that if a Palestinian state is ever created, Tulkarm would be part of it. The PA is not going to agree to place Tulkarm under Israeli rule. Now if you look at a map, you see that Tulkarm is adjacent to Israel’s old, pre-1967 border. The border that made Israel just 15 km. wide at its strategic midsection. So if right now, the city is filled with terrorists, imagine how much worse it would be if Tulkarm was part of a state of Palestine. Weapons of all kinds would flow freely into the city. Terrorists would be able to launch shoulder-fired rockets into neighboring Israeli communities, and if Israel tried to take action, it would be violating another country’s sovereign border – in other words, providing a cause for war. So it may have looked like a run-of-the-mill Israeli counter-operation in Tulkarm this week. But it’s always worth taking a closer look – because the implications can be enormous. The writer is a commentator on Jewish affairs whose writings appear regularly in the American and Israeli press. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-24

The US is unlikely to impose sanctions on the , at least not in the meantime, Ynet reported Wednesday afternoon, citing Israeli officials.  The expected withdrawal from the plan to issue sanctions comes after intense pressure from Israeli leaders. The fact that Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Opposition leader Yair Lapid, expressed opposition to the planned sanctions pushed the US to take a step back from the pending decision, according to the report. "The reasonable assessment is that we will be able to convince the Americans not to impose these sanctions," said several Israeli sources to Ynet. A senior Israeli official told Ynet that the by the harsh reactions from both Israeli politicians and the public in Israel to the planned sanctions. Israeli leaders reportedly promised US officials that the problematic incidents attributed to Netzah Yehuda would be dealt with. Israeli soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion patrol near the Israeli-Gaza border, October 20, 2023. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) In response to reports that the US intended to sanction Netzah Yehuda, Prime Minister had said he would "fight with [this decision] all [his power]," calling it " the height of absurdity and a moral blow" in a statement published on X Saturday night. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also said in a statement on X that the sanctions are a "mistake" and Israel "must act to cancel them." On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference that he has made "determinations" on the issue of cutting military aid to specific Israeli army units accused of human rights violations in the West Bank before October 7. Unnamed US officials told Israeli media on Saturday that Blinken would sanction the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. The sources stated that the American sanctions would prohibit the transfer of US military aid to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, will prevent its soldiers and officers from taking part in training with the United States military, and will prevent the soldiers from this unit from participating in activities that receive American funding. The sanctions are based on a 1997 law by former Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibits the United States from providing military aid or training to security forces, the military, or the police when there is reliable information about human rights abuses. On Thursday, the American investigative website ProPublica reported that a special committee of the American State Department, which investigated allegations of human rights violations in the West Bank, forwarded recommendations a few months ago to Blinken to impose sanctions on several units of the IDF and the Israel Police and to prevent them from receiving American funding. The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was originally established as a special military unit for haredim (ultra-orthodox), in which all of the soldiers and officers were men. Over the years, in light of the low number of haredim who enlisted in the IDF, the unit also began to include extremist youth who held far-right positions and were not included in other combat units in the IDF. Journalist Amos Harel reported in Haaretz in September 2022 that the US State Department began an investigation into the Netzah Yehuda Battalion following several incidents in which soldiers from the battalion were involved in violence against Palestinian civilians. Barak Ravid contributed to this report. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-21

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the United States for its which in the past has been accused of mistreating Palestinians. Among the more high-profile incidents was the death of Palestinian American Omar As’ad, 80, of a heart attack after he had been detained, blindfolded, gagged, and handcuffed by that battalion in the West Bank.  “At a time when our soldiers are fighting terrorist monsters, the intention to sanction a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X late Saturday night. “In recent weeks, I have been working against the leveling of sanctions on Israeli citizens, including in my conversations with senior American government officials,” he stated. “The government I head will act by all means against these moves,” he added. Netzah Yehuda Battalion (credit: HILEL MEIR) “Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces!” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X. Netanyahu spoke out against such a move, first reported by the Walla news site, just one hour after he wrote a message on X, thanking the House of Representatives for passing a $23.2 billion military aid bill for Israel, which now moves to the Senate. The two messages reflect two concurrent moves by Since the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, it has deepened its support of Israel while at the same time cracking down on extremist Jewish violence against Palestinians. On Friday, the US imposed sanctions on Ben-Zion Gopstein, founder and leader of the right-wing group Lehava, and two entities that raised money for Israeli men accused of settler violence. The 1997 Leahy Law prohibits the funding of foreign military units believed to be involved in human rights abuses such as extrajudicial killing, torture, and rape. On Wednesday, the investigative US-based news site ProPublica reported that had been sitting on State Department recommendation that he apply the Leahy Law to “multiple Israeli military and police units.” When asked about the report at a press conference in Italy on Friday, Blinken said that application of the Leahy law was time-consuming and “has to be done very carefully both in collecting the facts and analyzing them – and that’s exactly what we’ve done.   “And I think it’s fair to say that you’ll see results very soon. I’ve made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead,” Blinken said. On Saturday night, Walla reported that the US was expected to sanction the Netzah Yehuda battalion, largely composed of Haredi soldiers, which for years had served in the West Bank but which has been deployed in Gaza in the aftermath of the October 7 attack. Minster Benny Gantz, who is a former Defense Minister and IDF Chief-of-Staff, wrote on X that “The ‘Netzah Yehuda’ battalion is an inseparable part of the Israel Defense Forces. It is subject to military law and is responsible for operating in full compliance with International law.  “The State of Israel has a strong, independent judicial system that evaluates meticulously any claim of a violation or deviation from IDF orders and code of conduct, and will continue to do so,” he wrote. “I have great appreciation for our American friends, but the decision to impose sanctions on an IDF unit and its soldiers sets a dangerous precedent and conveys the wrong message to our shared enemies during wartime,” he explained. “I intend on acting to have this decision changed,” Gantz stated. Reuters contributed to this report.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-16

Qatar has been - and continues to be - a "close partner" in the hostage negotiation process and has done everything they can do to try to get the hostages home, spokesperson Matthew Miller said during a news briefing Tuesday afternoon.  On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with both the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.  Miller reiterated Hamas - not Qatar, Egypt, or Israel - is the impediment to the hostage agreement.  "It is Hamas that refused to agree to the deal that is on the table, despite the fact that it would achieve much of the things that they have publicly claimed and repeated statements that they are trying to achieve," Miller said.  While Miller said there's been a significant increase in the number of aid trucks going into Gaza, he said it's still not enough. Qatar positions itself as a mediator and peacemaker, instrumental in negotiating high-profile hostage releases and actively participating in regional discussions, a role that has placed it in the international spotlight in the aftermath of October 7. (credit: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/REUTERS) Miller said the number of trucks going in isn't the only focus, but also where the trucks are going and ensuring they get to Northern Gaza.  Miller added that it ensures the Ashdod port is open and that bakeries in Northern Gaza can reopen.  According to Miller, 65 trucks went into Northern Gaza on Sunday, and more were planned for Monday.  Miller said the US has been in communication with the Israeli government and partners about the importance of getting medical supplies into Gaza, and items that are legitimate medical items aren't excluded from deliveries into Gaza.  Miller said conversations are ongoing regarding the distribution of humanitarian aid that will be delivered through the 's temporary constructed pier.  The US has made "absolutely clear" that the government of Israel has a responsibility to police settler violence and has the responsibility to hold extremist settlers who commit violence accountable, Miller said.  The State Department has and will continue to make the case of why it's in Israel's interest to take this matter incredibly seriously, Miller said. Miller said failing to properly hold settlers accountable for their violence risks and escalation isn't just harmful to the Palestinian people that live in the , but it's harmful to Israel's ultimate security and that it risks broader regional escalation. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-03

The White House dodged answering on whether it agreed with ' sentiment that Israel is using food as a weapon on Wednesday. These questions came following allegations from the celebrity chef whose World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Monday.  "We know Israelis. Israelis, in their heart of hearts, know that food is not a weapon of war," Andres wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times on Wednesday. "Israel is better than the way this war is being waged. It is better than blocking food and medicine to civilians. It is better than killing aid workers who had coordinated their movements with the Israel Defense Forces." Israel has said it is investigating the strikes.  The Biden administration was unified in calling for a "very straightforward" investigation done swiftly and made publicly.  Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said there are some initial findings, but the investigation is still underway.  WHITE HOUSE Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds the daily press briefing. (credit: JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS) Jean-Pierre said Biden's statement issued on Tuesday night condemning Israel's strikes against the aid workers made it "loud and clear" where the president stands.  The State Department faced questioning on Israel's claims that its forces misidentified the trucks marked with the World Central Kitchen logo.  "It doesn't really matter how they made the mistake. At the end of the day, you have seven dead aid workers who were there trying to deliver humanitarian assistance," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. "So, whatever the reason was that led to this tragedy, whatever the mistake that happened inside the IDF, it's unacceptable, and they need to do better, and they need to put measures in place to ensure that it doesn't happen again." Miller said Israel needs to improve its deconfliction efforts.  While Miller said Monday's strikes against the aid workers reveal the challenges of humanitarian operations in Gaza, the US is still expected to build its temporary pier off the Gaza coast in the coming weeks.  The administration said it's going to continue having "tough" conversations with Israel about the planned and will meet in person with Israeli officials.  Reuters reported that Biden will reportedly speak to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone on Thursday.   A date for an in-person meeting has not yet been announced.  Israel's allies are facing increasing pressure to take action against Israel following Monday's strikes.  On Wednesday, the three main British opposition parties and some lawmakers in the governing party said the British government should consider suspending arms sales. The Liberal Democrats called for arms exports to Israel to be suspended. At the same time, the Scottish National Party also backed that move and said parliament should be recalled from its Easter break to discuss the crisis. The main opposition Labour Party, who polls suggest will form the next government later this year, adopted a nuanced approach, saying the government should suspend arms sales if lawyers have found Israel had broken international law. Canada's Foreign Affairs minister Melanie Joly called on Wednesday for a full investigation into the killing of aid workers in Gaza, amongst whom was a Canadian citizen. Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, she said Israel needed to respect international law. Seven aid workers died in the attack on Monday, including 33-year-old dual US-Canadian citizen Jacob Flickinger. A sea convoy of undelivered food for Gaza returned to Cyprus on Wednesday due to the fallout from Monday's strike.  A cargo ship carrying 240 tonnes of food initially destined for the people of the besieged Palestinian enclave sailed back to Larnaca in Cyprus following the deadly attack, dropping anchor just outside the port. A second ship, the Open Arms, owned by a Spanish NGO working with WCK, arrived earlier. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-02

A new weapons deal with Israel is under consideration by US officials, Politico reported on Monday. 50 F-15 fighter jets, 30 AID-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, and a “number of joint direct attack munition kits, which turn dumb bombs into precision-guided weapons,” are being considered for the , according to Politico. While the sale is still waiting for US approval, a congressional aide revealed that the Biden administration is very likely approve the sale. However, it is important to note that according to Politico’s report, it would “be years before the weapons arrive in Israel.” Politico further reported that when asked for a response, the US State Department spokesperson said "the department does not comment on potential future sales.” This development occurs amid mounting criticism of the to Israel, "as the death toll rises in Gaza.” In another sign of growing tensions between the two allies, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's recent call for Israeli elections sparked a controversy last month among Israeli political leaders. A C-130 Super Hercules. The aircraft can transport soldiers, gear, and water, and it can also be used to drop pamphlets of the type Israel has been dropping over Gaza to warn people to evacuate or to offer rewards for help finding hostages. (credit: IDF) Politico further reports that the sale “comes amid a rift among Democrats” regarding the question of Biden’s responsibility in pressuring Israel “not to launch a large-scale invasion” of Rafah through arms sales. Politico noted the concern for the remaining Israeli hostages, and that officials are still attempting to negotiate for their release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, the US expressed concerns about Israeli plans for an , emphasizing the need to protect civilians. "Going into Rafah without a plan to protect civilians would be a mistake," US officials said. Meanwhile, recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria have heightened tensions in the region. Amid these shifting incidents, discussions between US and Israeli officials continue. Politico reported that the US has requested Israel “in recent weeks not to mount a full-on ground offensive in [Rafah], because more than 1 million civilians are sheltering there. Most of the Israeli hostages are also believed to be somewhere in the city.” Politico ends their report by saying that this newly considered arms deal with Israel comes following a Washington Post article that the Biden administration was moving forward with a years-old arms package for Israel. This deal would include additional arms not mentioned in this new deal. Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen said that "blocking sales of offensive weapons should be under consideration,” according to Politico’s report. Former State Department official Josh Paul, who resigned from his position “in protest over America’s continued lethal assistance to Israel,” alleged that the proposed arms sale is “further proof” of continued US support for Israel. ...قراءة المزيد

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