For the first time, President Joe Biden attempted to use US assistance to influence Israeli military behavior on Thursday by threatening to withhold funding for Israel’s offensive in Gaza until it took proactive measures to save civilians and humanitarian workers.
In response to a deadly Israeli attack on World Central Kitchen aid workers, which prompted fresh calls from Biden’s fellow Democrats to impose limits on US aid to Israel, Biden issued a warning that was repeated in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. Israel claimed that the strike was an error.
The US president, who has always supported Israel, has resisted calls to cut off money or stop sending weaponry to the nation.
His ultimatum was the first time he had implied that aid might be conditional, which could alter the course of the conflict, which has been going on for almost six months.
After speaking with the leaders over the phone, Biden “made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” according to the White House. The call reportedly lasted for around thirty minutes.
