US ‘continues to be complicit’ in Israel’s war on Gaza
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, Marwan Bishara, rejects the argument repeatedly put forward by the US government that Israel’s attacks in Rafah do not amount to a large-scale offensive.
“There’s a total, full-blown offensive by Israel in an area where hundreds of thousands of civilians are finding shelter. The United States is supporting that war. They call it limited, but that’s just an Orwellian concept,” Bishara said.
He added that the US has provided Israel with weapons and ammunition since the war began in early October and appears poised to continue. “So in a sense, the United States continues to be complicit, directly, militarily, in the war on Gaza.”
I would go further than saying the US is merely complicit, they are the main driving force keeping the war going by supplying 70% of the weapons with no (real) strings attached. While also providing diplomatic cover, disinformation, excuses, signing criticism of Israel into law as anti-semetic, keeping in law that Palestinian statehood triggers sanctions on the UN, continued defunding of UNWRA on false allegations, cracking down on anti-war protests.
US senator promises to ‘hold ICC to account’
Lindsay Graham, a powerful Republican US lawmaker, held a meeting in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, during which Netanyahu “thanked [Graham] for his fifth visit to Israel since the outbreak of the war and said that he was a true friend of Israel and the Jewish People”, according to a readout of the meeting released by Netanyahu’s office.
For his part, Graham said, “I promise you that we will do all we can, Mr Prime Minister, to hold the ICC account for this outrage against the people of Israel”, referring to a request from the prosecutor of the International Court of Justice earlier this month for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
“To the International Court of Justice, you’re a joke. The head judge of the ICJ is a raving anti-Semite”, he added, taking the opportunity to also dig at the International Court of Justice, which last week ordered Israel to halt its military operation in the southern Gaza City of Rafah.
Several US lawmakers came out strongly against the ICC prosecutor’s request, threatening to sanction court officials and actively work against its operations.
‘Let’s beat Hamas,’ US’s Nikki Haley tells Netanyahu
The former US ambassador to the UN has told Israel’s prime minister that “a win for Israel is a win for America”.
Haley, who suspended her campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination earlier this year after a series of primary defeats to former President Donald Trump, made the comments as she met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
A staunch supporter of Israel, Haley drew controversy during her visit to Israel when she wrote “Finish them!” on an Israeli artillery shell destined for Gaza.
Speaking in advance of their talks, Netanyahu thanked Haley for her support. “I want you to know how much we appreciate the fact that you are standing with us, and so do the majority of the American people,” he said, according to a readout from his office.
Recent polls have shown that a majority of Americans want a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as disapprove of Israel’s military actions in the Palestinian enclave.
