It’s been brewing for weeks now. It was only a matter of time until a cadre of Democratic Senators decided to pull this maneuver regarding Israel’s justified war of self-defense against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They’re threatening to withhold arms shipments if Israeli forces clear out Rafah, the last stronghold in the region for the terror group. As Israel has swung its military operations southward, it’s resulted in increasing numbers of civilian casualties.
Some make the argument that the ordinary Palestinian isn’t Hamas. I would argue otherwise, as has Mosab Yousef, the son of a Hamas commander, who has spoken out against the terror group. With the recent accidental airstrike that killed several aid workers with World Central Kitchen, the drumbeat to cut aid or at least apply conditions is gathering.
Son of Hamas commander:
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) April 4, 2024
“There is no difference between Hamas and the so-called ‘Palestinians’, as the vast majority of them support Hamas… There are no ‘Palestinian’ people. There are conflicted tribes, and without Israel as the common enemy, they would kill each other.” pic.twitter.com/sLR2xkaKV4
First, collateral damage in a war differs from what Hamas committed on October 7, 2023. People die in these armed conflicts, civilians especially. Israel works overtime to minimize these deaths, but people seem to forget that there is a full-blown ground war occurring as we speak.
Can we stop acting like this is new?
Right now, we have an administration that’s being stretched at both ends: signaling unwavering support while shipping new arms, though also saying that they’re considering new options toward the Netanyahu government—whatever that means—and saying that the IDF risks becoming indistinguishable from Hamas unless they cut down on the civilian deaths. It’s a comparison that’s laughably false as it is offensive.
In March, some Senate Democrats placed Rafah as a red line on aid to Israel (via Politico):
Congressional action to block U.S. arms sales to Israel is “certainly something that’s on the table” if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launches a large-scale invasion of Rafah, a top senator said Tuesday.
The remarks by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) come amid pressure from Democrats for President Joe Biden to take a tougher tack in his rift with Netanyahu over Israel’s strategy in Gaza. Netanyahu said in an interview published Sunday that he intends to press ahead with a Rafah invasion in defiance of Biden’s warning that such an offensive would be a “red line.”
Now, with the World Central Kitchen incident, no doubt we’ll see more drama ahead on the Hill from Democrats who are being subjected to immense pressure from the far left flanks who are engulfed in pro-Hamas activism and antisemitism (via NYT):
A group of Democratic senators urged President Biden on Monday to stop providing offensive weapons to Israel for the war against Hamas until it lifts restrictions on U.S.-backed humanitarian aid going into Gaza.
In a letter to Mr. Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, and seven Democrats argued that by continuing to arm Israel, Mr. Biden was violating the Foreign Assistance Act, which bars military support from going to any nation that restricts the delivery of humanitarian aid.
It was the latest bid by members of his own party to intensify pressure on Mr. Biden to use his leverage to demand that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu change his tactics and mitigate the suffering of Palestinians as the offensive in Gaza drags into its fifth month.
“We urge you to make it clear to the Netanyahu government that failure to immediately and dramatically expand humanitarian access and facilitate safe aid deliveries throughout Gaza will lead to serious consequences, as specified under existing U.S. law,” the group wrote.
Is there a showdown coming? Biden is facing a Muslim American voter rebellion over this war, with the Rust Belt being put into play if the conflict drags on, which it will if Israel is being surgical about it, and they are. The longer Gaza rages, the more mayhem is being hurled at Biden. His 2024 re-election effort is already shaky due to his failed economic and foreign policy agenda. His age and mental health are also a top concern for voters. And now, what should be an easy issue for the president is quickly becoming a political cancer due to the insanity of the Democratic Party base.