President Joe Biden’s recent conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sparked a flurry of activity in the White House, with officials reporting that Biden expressed his frustrations with Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. The deaths of seven aid workers in targeted airstrikes were the final straw for Biden, who made it clear that changes needed to be made to protect civilians and increase humanitarian aid.
In response to Biden’s concerns, Israeli officials announced the opening of a new land crossing into northern Gaza to allow for more aid to enter the conflict zone. Additionally, the Israeli military released the results of a preliminary investigation into the airstrikes that killed the aid workers, acknowledging it as a grave mistake due to errors in decision-making.
While the actions taken by Israel are seen as a good start by the US National Security Council, they are waiting to see if these changes are sustainable and verifiable. The founder of World Central Kitchen, Jose Andres, has called for an external investigation into the incident, showing that there is still skepticism about the Israeli-led report.
The possibility of conditioning defense assistance on Israel’s behavior on the battlefield is now openly discussed in the White House, signaling a potential shift in US policy towards Israel. While there may not be immediate policy changes, the fact that this option is on the table marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict.