With the United States having carried out retaliatory airstrikes in Iraq and Syria after Iran-linked militias killed three U.S. service members in Jordan, America is again engaged in a widening conflict in the Middle East, with little idea of where it will lead.
America’s sprawling, illogical collection of military forces in the region, coupled with the Biden administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s war effort, has enabled persistent tragedy and the ever-growing escalation of risk.
Given the undeniable link between attacks on U.S. interests and the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden must stop ignoring the best option he has to safeguard American lives and prevent a wider war.
It's time for the president to push hard for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire.
The war in Gaza isn’t the only factor driving attacks, but regional attacks slowed, and hostages held by Hamas were released, during a temporary pause in fighting in Gaza in November. Without a cease-fire, regional tensions will keep spiraling out of control.
Shared vision for reconciliation:My family village in Israel shows why 'never again' must include innocent Palestinians
The Biden administration has bypassed Congress twice to sell weapons to Israel, most recently $147.5 million in artillery munitions. In the Red Sea, the United States is engaged in combat against the Houthis, an effort Biden admitted is not working but will continue anyway.
One might assume that enabling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s destructive escapade would give Biden influence over how it plays out. But so far, even Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s call for Israel to shift to less deadly “surgical operations” has gone unanswered.
Supporters of Biden’s approach argue that leverage is best exerted behind closed doors. They contend that Washington is unlikely to be able to dictate the terms of Israeli operations to dismantle Hamas. According to this reasoning, public calls for a cease-fire, if unanswered, erode Washington’s influence without producing changes in Israel’s behavior.
That raises the question: What’s the point of having leverage if you can’t use it? Netanyahu and his war Cabinet are in the driver’s seat, with Washington picking up the regional tab.
We must push for cease-fire in Gaza.Army veterans like me know that 'war is hell.'
To complicate matters, the Israeli government has emphatically rejected the one post-conflict political proposal that stands a chance of producing a stable long-term result: a negotiated two state solution. So has Hamas, but a U.S. ally should be held to a higher standard than a terrorist organization.
Netanyahu has bragged, for domestic political consumption, about having successfully made the blocking of a Palestinian state his lifelong mission. Some members of the Israeli government are pursuing ethnic cleansing of Gaza under the guise of resettlement. Netanyahu prioritizes his political survival over the interests of his own country, Israel’s closest allies or the safety of the Jewish diaspora.
Netanyahu certainly is not concerned about the political consequences for a U.S. president whom he may believe has only one year left in office. Biden, however, should be. According to a New York Times poll, 57% of respondents disapprove of Biden’s management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and key leaders in the Democratic Party are openly criticizing him.
Now is the time for Biden to push for a cease-fire. He should not hesitate to challenge Netanyahu, especially considering Biden’s higher popularity among Israelis.
Washington holds leverage, with American hostages in Hamas’ custody and U.S. military support providing a tool to urge Israel toward short-term diplomacy and cease-fires that transition into a long-term one.
Biden should collaborate with congressional allies to issue robust statements supporting a comprehensive cease-fire and potentially conditioning the delivery of continued aid on Israel's acceptance of a cease-fire. The message to Israel should be clear: Ignore these calls and you’re on your own, and the consequences will last long after this administration. Israel will have to choose between Netanyahu’s ambitions or its most crucial partnerships.
Pushing Israel to initiate a cease-fire does not excuse Hamas. Hamas started this latest war with a sadistic terrorist attack that killed at least 1,200 people, knowing full well the destruction that would follow. Hamas’ leadership has yet to release all hostages, and the majority of its leaders still oppose a two-state solution.
But Washington is not merely an onlooker in this conflict; it is actively supporting one side. It’s doubtful that history will forgive the devastation of Gaza and the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in a duel with a terrorist organization. Israel has the power not to play Hamas’ game, just as Washington has the choice not to be a cog in Netanyahu’s political schemes.
Biden faces a rare opportunity where the morally right, strategically necessary and politically smart choice all align – using the United States' leverage to advocate for a cease-fire in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Adam Weinstein is deputy director of the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. His research focuses on security and rule of law in the Middle East. He previously served as a U.S. Marine.
It's time, Mr. President. Biden must push for cease-fire in Gaza.
10
1
13.02.2024
With the United States having carried out retaliatory airstrikes in Iraq and Syria after Iran-linked militias killed three U.S. service members in Jordan, America is again engaged in a widening conflict in the Middle East, with little idea of where it will lead.
America’s sprawling, illogical collection of military forces in the region, coupled with the Biden administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s war effort, has enabled persistent tragedy and the ever-growing escalation of risk.
Given the undeniable link between attacks on U.S. interests and the war in Gaza, President Joe Biden must stop ignoring the best option he has to safeguard American lives and prevent a wider war.
It's time for the president to push hard for an Israel-Hamas cease-fire.
The war in Gaza isn’t the only factor driving attacks, but regional attacks slowed, and hostages held by Hamas were released, during a temporary pause in fighting in Gaza in November. Without a cease-fire, regional tensions will keep spiraling out of control.
Shared vision for reconciliation:My family village in Israel shows why 'never again' must include innocent Palestinians
The Biden administration has bypassed Congress twice to sell weapons to Israel, most recently $147.5 million in artillery munitions. In the Red Sea, the United States is engaged in........
© USA TODAY
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Mort Laitner
Rami G Khouri
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
