This post has been updated to include another thread about President Joe Biden's interview with Univision.
During Tuesday's White House press briefing, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan took several questions pertaining to Israel's planned operation in Rafah. Despite opposition from the Biden White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to carry on and says a date has been set. Throughout Tuesday, though, Sullivan kept doubling down on the administration's concerns, and he even failed to rule out conditioning aid to Israel, something many far-left, anti-Israel Democrats have called for. President Joe Biden himself later communicated his opposition to the Rafah operation in an interview with Univision.
Last Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed there were "alternative ways" for Israel to deal with Hamas than such an operation, with that suggestion earning her sharp rebuke. On Tuesday, Sullivan repeated that claim in similar terms. Such a response came during one of the many times he was asked about how that could impact support for our ally in the Middle East.
When taking a question, Sullivan pointed out that Netanyahu has not shared the date with them for the Rafah operation, and so he wouldn't comment on that aspect of it.
Answering the specific question of "will the administration take any action or restrict military support for Israel if Netanyahu moves forward on Rafah," Sullivan answered he wasn't "going to comment on hypotheticals," but he didn't stop there. He reminded that he has previously called out plans for the operation, as he was doing once again.
"The United States does not believe that a massive ground invasion of Rafah, where 1.3 or more million people are sheltering... into the area where humanitarian assistance comes in, this is not the best way forward," he insisted, focusing on lamenting the plight of Gazans affected by a war that was started because of Hamas' terrorist attack against Israel on October 7. "There are better ways to go after Hamas and Rafah," he continued, noting "we presented those ways to our Israeli counterparts" and that "there have been ongoing technical talks," with conversations expected to be "ongoing."
Sullivan also noted "we will make determinations on how we will proceed based on how those conversations unfold."
REPORTER: "Will the administration take any action or restrict military support for Israel if Netanyahu moves forward on Rafah?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 9, 2024
NSA Jake Sullivan: "I'm not gonna comment on hypotheticals but...the United States does not believe that a massive ground invasion of Rafah...this is… pic.twitter.com/C09shD4Ahr
Another reporter asked Sullivan more directly about conditioning aid, specifically "at what point will the U.S. consider similar measures" when it comes to how France and Turkey, which is particularly anti-Israel, have imposed sanctions and restrictions on Israel. She thus wanted to know when the United States will join others in abandoning our ally.
It wasn't merely the reporter who focused on such humanitarian aid for Gazans. Sullivan was as well, furthering such a narrative that others in the Biden administration, including and especially the president himself, have gone with.
Acknowledging that he was sounding "a bit like a broken record" in that Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have made these same points, Sullivan responded that "our policy going forward is going to be determined by whether we see sustained follow-through on specific, concrete, measurable steps to provide access, provide deconfliction, take other measures to alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza."
Sullivan warned that U.S, policy would change "if Israel's policy doesn't change on a sustained basis," though he refused to speak further than that.
REPORTER: At what point will the U.S. consider sanctions and restrictions on Israel?
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) April 9, 2024
NSA Jake Sullivan: "Our policy going forward is going to be determined by whether we see sustained follow-through on specific, concrete, measurable steps...to alleviate the suffering of people… pic.twitter.com/jJpPL0kgRM
Then there's the Biden interview with Univision, which Democrats claimed was supposed to be "an important opportunity for the Spanish-speaking population of our country, and abroad, to hear how the President plans to address many of the issues facing our nation and the world."
What made headlines though was how the increasingly anti-Israel Biden called out Netanyahu, sharing he thought plans for Rafah were "a mistake." He also called for a ceasefire, not just for six weeks, as has been raised in the past, but potentially eight.
"So what I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a cease-fire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country," Biden said in the interview. "There’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now." Tellingly, there isn't a mention of Biden making any demands of Hamas, such as releasing the hostages, when it comes to that call for a ceasefire.
Us president Biden wants Israel to declare unilateral Ceasefire for 6-8 weeks, asks nothig from hamas
— Brian BJ (@iamBrianBJ) April 10, 2024
U.S. President Joe Biden stated during a Interview with Univision tonight that he believes Prime Minister Netanyahu is, “Making a Mistake” and that he is now calling for… pic.twitter.com/uaX1cyTmYP
“What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden tells the Univision, a US Spanish-language TV network. (2/11)
— Jacob Magid (@JacobMagid) April 9, 2024
Asked whether Netanyahu is more concerned about political survival than Israelis’ national interest, Biden responds, “I think what he’s doing is a mistake… I don’t agree with his approach." (4/11)
— Jacob Magid (@JacobMagid) April 9, 2024
The Univision interview was taped last Wednesday — two days after the IDF’s deadly strike on a WCK convoy and day before he held a call w/ Bibi during which he threatened to cease support unless Israel made major changes to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (5/11)
— Jacob Magid (@JacobMagid) April 9, 2024
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