Wednesday, 28 February 2024

Biden Memo Tying Military Aid to Humanitarian Law Was to Avert Oversight of Support for Israel

 

by  | Feb 27, 2024

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The Joe Biden administration is requiring all countries that receive US military aid, including Israel, to pledge they will not commit war crimes. The White House crafted the pledge to prevent Congress from placing provisions in the massive military funding bill that would have sought to prevent arms transfers to countries committing crimes with American weapons. Over the past four months, American-made weapons have been used by Israeli forces to commit several war crimes in Gaza. 

Earlier this month, President Biden issued a memorandum that said American military aid would be linked to compliance with international law. The executive order was redundant as the Leahy Laws prevent US arms transfers to countries that commit war crimes. Several American presidents have ignored Israeli routine violations of humanitarian law while transferring to Tel Aviv hundreds of billions in military aid. 

The purpose of the memo was to relieve building political pressure on Biden over his unfettered support for Tel Aviv as Israel has slaughtered tens of thousands of Palestinians. Sen. Chris Van Hollen explained to Axios that the memo was issued to prevent Democrats in Congress from presenting an amendment to the $95 billion military spending bill that would have created more oversight over support for Israel. 

“Myself and the co-sponsors of the amendment made it clear to Majority Leader Schumer that we are determined to have a vote if we don’t succeed in implementing it through executive action.” He continued, “That and the fact that it made sense on the merit of it, persuaded the administration that they should work with us on this.”

Israeli and US officials speaking with Axios told the outlet that the White House gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ink a letter saying he would not use American weapons to commit war crimes. However, the letter is unlikely to have any impact as the White House has steadfastly refused to leverage its relationship with Israel to get Tel Aviv to comply with American demands not to kill civilians. 

Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials have regularly flaunted Biden’s requests. The White House has asked Tel Aviv to allow more aid into Gaza. On Monday, a top US official admitted aid shipments into Gaza sunk to 85 trucks per day. Biden has called for Israel to allow for a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has boasted about preventing a sovereign Palestine.

About Kyle Anzalone

Kyle Anzalone is news editor of the Libertarian Institute, opinion editor of Antiwar.com and co-host of Conflicts of Interest with Will Porter and Connor Freeman.
https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/biden-memo-tying-military-aid-to-humanitarian-law-was-to-avert-oversight-of-support-for-israel/

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