Seven current and former government officials tell the BBC the Biden administration must press its ally further.

The views of seven current and former US government officials reflect the way internal objections to policy continue to mount. They said many government workers were voicing their frustrations in unofficial forums that include at least a dozen groups on messaging apps, which the officials said counted hundreds of administration staff as members.

A spokesperson for the US state department said it encouraged different views on policy and staff could make them known through “appropriate channels”. The US had “been clear at the highest levels publicly and privately with Israel that it must abide by international humanitarian law”, the spokesperson said.

Four current officials at varying levels of seniority in different government departments spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity. Two have roles in areas with direct links to foreign policy, including on Israel and Gaza.

One who has 25 years of national security experience said internal opposition had become “deeper, wider and more despairing” than at any previous point in the war. While the increase in pressure from President Biden last week was welcome, it did not go far enough to reflect the “moral urgency” to act, they said.

“I read it as Israel doing the bare minimum to get through the day and avoid arms transfers being halted,” the official added.

  •  t3rmit3   ( @t3rmit3@beehaw.org ) 
    3•7 months ago

    A bunch of pieces by neolib outlets like NYT basically predicted that Netanyahu would end this by early Summer at the latest, and that would give Biden enough time to recover in the polls. Leaving aside how cynical that is (“those silly kids/ activists will get bored, and Muslims will all forget after a few months, right!?”), Biden’s team needs to give real thought to what happens if Israel is still in Gaza in November (and they will be, since Netanyahu has made clear that withdrawl is not his plan even after the active bombings are “done”).

    There are so many ways his support for this is hurting not just himself, but Democrats and any semblance of youth faith in political engagement. If this was translating to actual loss of political power for the USFG, I’d be all for it, but by all appearances it’s just going to negatively impact down-ballot Democrats, and progressive-Left staffing in government agencies, ceding power to the Right.

    There is a point at which, regardless of what Biden’s personal views might be, he needs to act as though he actually cares what his constituents want. This paternalistic “I know the best way to handle it” act may have fooled some people back at the start, but Biden’s ‘concerned-friend’ approach has visibly not worked to rein in Netanyahu, and sticking to it now just looks like he doesn’t understand, or can’t admit, that he was wrong.