The Biden administration’s policy on supplying arms to Israel is being criticized as contradictory, given the Netanyahu government’s actions in Gaza. The Israeli government has been accused of killing over 34,000 people, including children, dropping bombs on civilian areas, and obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid. The International Court of Justice has suggested that Israel may be committing genocide in Gaza, and there are calls for this conduct to be stopped.
Despite these concerns, the Biden administration continues to send billions of dollars in weapons to Israel while claiming to be working to limit civilian casualties and ensure compliance with U.S. law. The release of National Security Memorandum-20 (NSM-20) requires U.S. arms recipients to follow U.S. law in their use of U.S. weapons and allows for an investigation into their adherence to human rights standards and humanitarian aid access.
However, NSM-20 has been criticized for appearing more as a political move to preempt Congressional debate rather than a genuine effort to hold nations accountable for human rights abuses. The administration is obligated to report on Israel’s use of U.S. weapons in Gaza, but there are doubts about the objectivity of this investigation given previous statements by State Department officials. An independent task force has conducted its analysis of Israel’s use of U.S. arms and found systematic disregard for international law.
The task force’s report highlights specific incidents, such as an IDF airstrike that killed over 100 civilians, to raise concerns about the administration’s compliance with U.S. and international law. The task force includes former State Department officials, military personnel, and legal scholars, who have submitted their findings to the Biden administration to inform future reports to Congress under NSM-20. The hope is that this report will push the administration to take concrete action to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
It is urged that the Biden administration should use the independent task force’s work as a model to cut off military supplies to Israel until the violence in Gaza stops and a long-term ceasefire is achieved. The administration is encouraged to use all available tools to halt the mass slaughter in Gaza and take steps to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding there. The release of the task force’s report may serve as a catalyst for the administration to change its approach and take more decisive action to address the situation in Gaza.
