U.S. Criticizes Israel for Failure to Protect Civilians in the Gaza Conflict

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the Biden administration's assessment of Israel's conduct during the recent conflict in Gaza. The State Department report acknowledges that Israel's actions have "raised substantial questions" about its protection of civilians, but stops short of finding specific violations of international law that would justify withholding military aid. The report highlights challenges in collecting reliable information and Israel's own investigations into potential misconduct. It also notes that Israel has not intentionally blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza. The article discusses the political tensions around the report, with some Democrats criticizing it as "watered down" and an attempt to avoid holding Israel accountable.

🙋 Q&A

[01] U.S. Criticizes Israel for Failure to Protect Civilians in the Gaza Conflict

1. What are the key findings of the State Department report on Israel's conduct in the Gaza conflict?

• The report acknowledges that Israel's actions have "raised substantial questions" about its protection of civilians, but does not find specific instances that would justify withholding military aid.
• The report states that Israel has the "knowledge, experience and tools to implement best practices for mitigating civilian harm" but the "results on the ground, including high levels of civilian casualties, raise substantial questions" about whether the Israel Defense Forces are making sufficient use of those tools.
• The report notes the difficulty of collecting reliable information from Gaza, Hamas's tactic of operating in civilian areas, and Israel's lack of sharing complete information to verify specific incidents.
• The report concludes that Israel has opened criminal investigations into the conduct of its military in Gaza and is examining hundreds of incidents that may involve wartime misconduct.

2. How does the report address the issue of humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza?

• The report states that "we do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance" into Gaza.
• However, the report lists several examples of how Israel's actions have had "a negative effect" on aid distribution, including "extensive bureaucratic delays" and the active involvement of some senior Israeli officials in protests or attacks on aid convoys.

3. What is the reaction to the report from critics of Israel's conduct in Gaza?

• Critics, including some Democrats in Congress, argue that the report is "watered down" and an attempt to avoid holding Israel accountable for its actions.
• Senator Chris Van Hollen stated that "if this conduct complies with international standards, then God help us all," suggesting the report does not go far enough in condemning Israel's actions.
• The independent task force that issued a previous report citing numerous examples of likely Israeli legal violations called the State Department report "at best incomplete, and at worst intentionally misleading in defense of acts and behaviors that likely violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes."

[02] Biden Administration's Response and Continued Military Aid

1. How does the Biden administration's response to the report compare to the expectations of critics?

• Critics had hoped that the Biden administration would use the report as a justification for further restricting arms deliveries to Israel, but the report concluded that the assurances Israel provided in March about using U.S. arms consistent with international law are "credible and reliable," allowing the continued flow of U.S. military aid.
• The report's findings are unrelated to Biden's recent decision to delay the delivery of 3,500 bombs to Israel and review other weapons shipments, which the president said were in response to Israel's stated plans to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

2. What is the context around the Biden administration's continued military support for Israel?

• The United States provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid, and Congress last month approved an additional $14 billion in emergency funding.
• The report was mandated by a national security memorandum issued by President Biden that requires all recipients of U.S. military aid engaged in conflict to provide written assurances that they will comply with international law and not hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid.