U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on November 3, 2023 (Creative Commons)
November 07, 2023
A month has passed since Hamas' November 7 terrorist attack on Israel. More than 1400 Israelis, according to the Associated Press, were killed in that attack. And thousands of people have died during Israeli forces' anti-Hamas operation in Gaza.
President Joe Biden, following the November 7 attack, was quick to express his solidarity with Israel. But according to Politico's Nahal Toosi, some U.S. State Department officials have been critical of Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas War — and believe he should be more willing to publicly criticize the Israeli government.
"The message suggests a growing loss of confidence among U.S. diplomats in President Joe Biden's approach to the Middle East crisis," Toosi explains in a report published by Politico on November 6. "It reflects the sentiments of many U.S. diplomats, especially at mid-level and lower ranks, according to conversations with several department staffers as well as other reports. If such internal disagreements intensify, it could make it harder for the Biden administration to craft policy toward the region."
The reporter adds, "The memo has two key requests: that the U.S. support a ceasefire, and that it balance its private and public messaging toward Israel, including airing criticisms of Israeli military tactics and treatment of Palestinians that the U.S. generally prefers to keep private."
The memo, according to Toosi, reads, "We must publicly criticize Israel's violations of international norms such as failure to limit offensive operations to legitimate military targets. When Israel supports settler violence and illegal land seizures or employs excessive use of force against Palestinians, we must communicate publicly that this goes against our American values so that Israel does not act with impunity."
Toosi reports that the memo "was authored by two mid-level staffers who have worked in the Middle East." The staffers, according to Toosi, argue that Israel has a "legitimate right and obligation" hold Hamas accountable for the October 7 massacre but argues that "the extent of human lives lost thus far" in Gaza "is unacceptable."
A month has passed since Hamas' November 7 terrorist attack on Israel. More than 1400 Israelis, according to the Associated Press, were killed in that attack. And thousands of people have died during Israeli forces' anti-Hamas operation in Gaza.
President Joe Biden, following the November 7 attack, was quick to express his solidarity with Israel. But according to Politico's Nahal Toosi, some U.S. State Department officials have been critical of Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas War — and believe he should be more willing to publicly criticize the Israeli government.
"The message suggests a growing loss of confidence among U.S. diplomats in President Joe Biden's approach to the Middle East crisis," Toosi explains in a report published by Politico on November 6. "It reflects the sentiments of many U.S. diplomats, especially at mid-level and lower ranks, according to conversations with several department staffers as well as other reports. If such internal disagreements intensify, it could make it harder for the Biden administration to craft policy toward the region."
The reporter adds, "The memo has two key requests: that the U.S. support a ceasefire, and that it balance its private and public messaging toward Israel, including airing criticisms of Israeli military tactics and treatment of Palestinians that the U.S. generally prefers to keep private."
The memo, according to Toosi, reads, "We must publicly criticize Israel's violations of international norms such as failure to limit offensive operations to legitimate military targets. When Israel supports settler violence and illegal land seizures or employs excessive use of force against Palestinians, we must communicate publicly that this goes against our American values so that Israel does not act with impunity."
Toosi reports that the memo "was authored by two mid-level staffers who have worked in the Middle East." The staffers, according to Toosi, argue that Israel has a "legitimate right and obligation" hold Hamas accountable for the October 7 massacre but argues that "the extent of human lives lost thus far" in Gaza "is unacceptable."
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