Biden Threatens to Cut Off Israel’s Arms Supply Amid Gaza Carnage

After a year of intense criticism regarding the U.S. backing of Israel’s severe military actions in Gaza, various news sources disclosed on Tuesday that President Biden’s administration has warned of a possible suspension of arms sales to Israel unless it takes “urgent and sustained actions” to better the humanitarian situation in Gaza within the next 30 days.

The warning came in an October 13 letter penned by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, addressed to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.
Axios journalist Barak Ravid shared the letter images on social media, and The Washington Post confirmed their authenticity through U.S. and Israeli officials.

In the letter, Blinken and Austin reference federal laws that opponents of the conflict have frequently used to argue that continuing arms support to Israel is unlawful. They also mention National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20), issued by President Biden in February, which mandates the Secretary of State to secure reliable assurances from foreign governments that they will adhere to international humanitarian law in using U.S. weapons and not hinder the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid.

The U.S. officials stated that “to reverse the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, and in keeping with its promises to us, Israel must, starting immediately and within 30 days, implement the following specific measures. Failure to show a continuous commitment to these actions could influence U.S. policy under NSM-20 and applicable U.S. laws.”

The letter demands that Israel significantly increase all types of humanitarian aid across Gaza, listing particular required actions. It also calls for Israel to ensure that both commercial and Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) corridors operate at full capacity continuously and to cease the isolation of northern Gaza.

While recognizing Israel’s unproven claims that a few staff members from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) participated in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, Blinken and Austin also expressed concerns about the Knesset potentially passing UNRWA legislation that “would severely impact Gaza’s humanitarian response at this crucial time and deprive essential educational and social services to tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which could have implications under relevant U.S. law and policy.”

As CNN reported Tuesday:

Israel seems to be reacting to the letter, at least indirectly. Just a day after the letter was dispatched, COGAT, the Israeli agency in charge of policies for Palestinian territories and overseeing aid flow into Gaza, tweeted images of aid being delivered into Gaza.

“30 trucks entered northern Gaza through the Erez Crossing earlier today. Israel is not blocking the entry of humanitarian aid, particularly food, into Gaza,” stated COGAT on X. “Israel will continue to permit the entry of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, while also targeting Hamas’ military and governance infrastructures.”

Nevertheless, since Sunday, Israel has continued its operations, targeting a hospital complex and refugee camps—acts that have prompted progressive U.S. lawmakers to urge Biden to cease “this horrific genocide.”

Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its prolonged offensive in Gaza—which, according to local authorities in the Hamas-controlled region, has resulted in at least 42,344 Palestinian deaths, injured another 99,013, and left thousands more unaccounted for.

In response to the letter, Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, commented on Tuesday that “this overdue official notice that Israel must cease obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza or risk a suspension of U.S. military aid marks a significant and unprecedented indication that Israel has breached even the Biden administration’s tolerant thresholds.”

“The Biden administration now needs to demonstrate enforcement, not merely issue statements, regarding U.S. laws that prohibit aid to Israel due to its continuous obstruction of humanitarian relief, deliberate starvation, and relentless bombardment of Gaza’s civilians,” she continued.

The Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project recently highlighted on social media that officials from the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration “had already recommended months ago to stop weapons sales to Israel for these infractions.”

“Blinken disregarded their advice and misled Congress regarding their findings,” the group accused. “We shouldn’t wait 30 days. U.S. law mandates an immediate cessation of weapons sales.”

Georgia state Representative Ruwa Romman (D-97), who is of Palestinian descent, concurred, saying: “Do it now! We have 370 days of evidence. The hundreds of thousands of people starving in Gaza can’t endure another 30 days.”

Outgoing Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.)—who lost his primary to a candidate supported by pro-Israel lobbyists—also stated on Tuesday that “waiting 30 days is too long to determine whether we will implement an arms embargo.”

“How many more Palestinians will we allow Israel to kill in the next 30 days?” he questioned. “How many more children, families, and generations? We need an arms embargo NOW!”