The Israeli airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers has stunned and outraged Democrats in Congress, urging President Joe Biden to impose conditions on U.S. military aid to Israel. Lawmakers are accelerating new efforts to apply pressure.
Frustration has been growing among Congressional Democrats for months over how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has carried out military strikes in the Gaza Strip and the dire humanitarian situation facing Palestinian civilians. . But Monday's deadly attack on the World Central Kitchen team shocked many members of Congress and their aides, making it a defining moment for the U.S. approach to the Gaza war and the U.S.-Israel relationship. claims that it is possible.
“This week could be a turning point,'' one Congress source said.
Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont told NBC News that the attack on the aid convoy “signifies that there is no revision in Netanyahu's war plan” and that it “raises concerns among a growing number of his colleagues.” “I'm doing it,” he said.
Lawmakers who initially refrained from harshly criticizing Israel over its tactics in Gaza have joined calls for a ceasefire and urged Netanyahu's government not to enter the southern city of Rafah without a plan to protect civilian lives. I'm giving you a warning.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a close Biden ally and longtime supporter of Israel, said Thursday he would place conditions on U.S. weapons shipments to Israel if civilians are not protected in Rafah. For the first time, he expressed his support.
“If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to order a large-scale invasion of Rafah by the IDF and not provide any civilian or humanitarian aid, I would vote to condition aid to Israel.” he told CNN. “I've never said that, and I've never been here.”
Jeremy Ben-Ami of the liberal lobbying group J Street says the group is “pro-Israel and pro-peace” and wants the White House to back up its critical statements with concrete actions. An increasing number of Democratic politicians are calling for this.
“I think there are more Democrats who want to see the administration do more than what they're doing right now,” he said.
Congressional aides say pressure from Congressional Democrats could prompt the administration to delay delivery of certain offensive weapons or military aid. While such a move would apply to hardware scheduled to be delivered months or years from now and would not affect Israel's current arms and ammunition supply, it would send an unprecedented political message to Israel. I will send it.
“I think more limited and symbolic measures are a real possibility,” Ben-Ami said.
Biden administration officials also said the attack on the aid convoy was a pivotal moment.
Two U.S. officials said in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Biden was prepared to make military aid to Israel conditional on dealing with Gaza's humanitarian crisis and negotiating a cease-fire. strongly suggested.
Following Biden's warning, Israel announced it would open additional aid routes to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, including the port of Ashdod and the Erez crossing on the Israel-Gaza border.
On Friday, the Israeli military fired two officers over a deadly attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy, which the IDF believes was carried out by Hamas militants after an investigation. It was announced that serious errors and violations of protocol that led to the attack have been discovered. was in attendance.
“The attack on the support vehicle was a serious error resulting from a serious failure due to misperception, poor decision-making, and an attack contrary to standard operating procedures,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
Welch praised Biden's public comments condemning the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, but said it was time to take concrete steps.
“The President has issued a very strong statement, expressing his horror and disappointment at what has just happened with the World Central Kitchen Employee Bombing…The President goes from quiet discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu to a public expression of disapproval. ,” Welch said. “The next step is clear action.”
Congressional Democrats are now focused on the looming May 8 deadline by which the administration must declare whether Israel is in compliance with international humanitarian law and U.S. human rights law. Under a national security memorandum issued by Biden in February, the State Department must formally assess whether Israeli guarantees are “credible” and report its findings to Congress. If the administration concludes that Israel has not lived up to its assurances, the president would have the option of halting additional U.S. arms transfers.
Growing concern among Democrats about the situation in Gaza also threatens to jeopardize long-delayed security aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The bill passed the Senate, but has been pending in the House for several months.
The main hurdle so far has been House Speaker Mike Johnson and some other Republicans wary of former President Donald Trump's opposition to additional aid to Ukraine. But there is growing reluctance among House Democrats to agree to more military aid to Israel, especially after the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, congressional aides and lawmakers say. Ta.
If the Biden administration is reluctant to impose conditions on aid to Israel, the top two Democrats on the Senate and House Foreign Affairs committees will refuse to approve a proposed $18 billion arms package for Israel. This could potentially increase pressure on the White House. This includes more F-15 fighters. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, have not yet publicly announced whether they agree to the planned sale. has not been made clear.
The reaction on Capitol Hill to the airstrike on the aid convoy points to a broader shift in perception of Israel in Washington. Unconditional bipartisan support for Israel is no longer a given, and Democrats are now prepared to direct harsh criticism at America's allies.
This shift is being driven in part by changing attitudes among Democratic voters, particularly American Muslims and young progressives who are dismayed by the plight of Palestinian civilians and less sympathetic to Israel's cause. Some Democrats are under intense pressure from voters over the war in Gaza and are concerned that the issue could hurt Biden's re-election prospects in a close race.
Even before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and Israel's military assault on Gaza, Mr. Biden faced the prospect of a tough re-election battle with a close outcome. The war in Gaza adds yet another challenge as he and the Democratic Party prepare for platform battles and street protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this summer.
“They're not far from the convention now. What do you want the streets of Chicago to look like in four months?” Ben-Ami said. “There's a lot of politics going on behind the scenes.”
