Why Biden Won't Put Conditions on Military Aid to Israel
==========
President Joe Biden has refrained from putting conditions on military aid to Israel despite increasing pressure to do so. Biden has criticized Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip and called for more humanitarian aid, but has not used his strongest leverage of conditioning aid. Lawmakers from his own party have demanded that Biden comply with the Foreign Assistance Act and cut off military aid if Israel continues to block U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, Biden's support for Israel is rooted in his long-standing and deeply held views on the security of the state of Israel. He has a personal relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and believes he can moderate Israel's behavior as a friend from the inside. Biden fears that conditioning aid to Israel could widen the war beyond Gaza and benefit Hezbollah, Iran, and other proxies. The U.S. provides Israel with weapons systems and munitions for deterrence and warfighting, and conditioning aid on defensive systems like the Iron Dome missile defense system carries serious risks. However, conditioning aid on specific types of offensive weapons systems may be less risky. The Biden administration has mandated relevant U.S. government agencies to obtain credible and reliable assurances from foreign governments that U.S. weapons are used in accordance with international and humanitarian law. Israel has provided its assurances, and the State Department will assess them by early May. Whether Biden conditions aid may also depend on Israeli plans for a ground invasion in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah. As long as Israel does not cross clear American red lines, the likelihood of conditioning aid seems low.
#JoeBiden #Israel #BenjaminNetanyahu #MilitaryAid #GazaStrip
https://www.voanews.com/a/why-biden-won-t-put-conditions-on-military-aid-to-israel-/7549438.html
Voice of America - VOA News /
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2024-03-30 01:26:06
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2024-03-30 01:26:06Event JSON
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"content": "Why Biden Won't Put Conditions on Military Aid to Israel\n==========\n\nPresident Joe Biden has refrained from putting conditions on military aid to Israel despite increasing pressure to do so. Biden has criticized Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip and called for more humanitarian aid, but has not used his strongest leverage of conditioning aid. Lawmakers from his own party have demanded that Biden comply with the Foreign Assistance Act and cut off military aid if Israel continues to block U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, Biden's support for Israel is rooted in his long-standing and deeply held views on the security of the state of Israel. He has a personal relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and believes he can moderate Israel's behavior as a friend from the inside. Biden fears that conditioning aid to Israel could widen the war beyond Gaza and benefit Hezbollah, Iran, and other proxies. The U.S. provides Israel with weapons systems and munitions for deterrence and warfighting, and conditioning aid on defensive systems like the Iron Dome missile defense system carries serious risks. However, conditioning aid on specific types of offensive weapons systems may be less risky. The Biden administration has mandated relevant U.S. government agencies to obtain credible and reliable assurances from foreign governments that U.S. weapons are used in accordance with international and humanitarian law. Israel has provided its assurances, and the State Department will assess them by early May. Whether Biden conditions aid may also depend on Israeli plans for a ground invasion in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah. As long as Israel does not cross clear American red lines, the likelihood of conditioning aid seems low.\n\n#JoeBiden #Israel #BenjaminNetanyahu #MilitaryAid #GazaStrip\n\nhttps://www.voanews.com/a/why-biden-won-t-put-conditions-on-military-aid-to-israel-/7549438.html",
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