US politicians should be calling for a ceasefire
Speaking Security Newsletter | Note n°219 | 16 October 2023
*My latest piece in Jacobin: The United States Should Not Fund Israel’s Assault on Gaza. The article builds off my last newsletter, providing additional context and a more thorough analysis. It reads better too (Jacobin has good editors). Check it out here.
*Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stephensemler.bsky.social
Situation
Over 50 members of Congress signed onto a letter released Friday urging Joe Biden to ensure that Israel adheres to “international humanitarian law, protection of innocent civilians in Gaza, and full humanitarian assistance” in light of the call for a “complete siege” of Gaza from Israeli military leaders.
The level of discourse
Israeli state officials are openly declaring their intent to commit (or continue committing) war crimes. Israel’s president Isaac Herzog said all Palestinians in Gaza were collectively responsible for Hamas’s attack on October 7: “It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians [being] not aware, not involved [in the attack]. It’s absolutely not true. They could have risen up, they could have fought against [Hamas],” Herzog said, thereby denying there being such a thing as an innocent Palestinian. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoac Gallant said Israel’s response will reflect that, prescribing collective punishment: “Gaza won’t return to what it was before. We will eliminate everything.” Here’s Gallant again: “I have ordered a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no fuel, no water. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals, and we act accordingly.”
All this is being said as the Israeli military prosecutes an intensive aerial bombing campaign on Gaza, and right before it conducts a major ground invasion in Gaza. But the Biden administration isn’t urging Israeli restraint in any serious way, even taking extra steps to ensure that no one gets the impression that they are. Per HuffPost, US diplomats aren't allowed to even hint at a desire to see less violence:
In messages circulated on Friday, State Department staff wrote that high-level officials do not want press materials to include three specific phrases: “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed” and “restoring calm.”
A failure to meet the moment
The letter mentioned at the top is a step in the quote unquote right direction, but in no way does it meet the moment. Israeli officials are openly espousing genocidal intent, the Biden administration is offering its unconditional support for those crimes, yet this is the letter’s first recommendation: “Communicate that Israel’s response in Gaza must be carried out according to international law and take all due measures to limit harm to innocent civilians.”
First, nothing Israeli officials have said in the last 72 hours suggest they’re paying much mind to international law. Second, the goal should be to halt the ongoing and impending violence, not facilitate a more PR-friendly massacre. Here are two better priorities: 1) demand an immediate ceasefire to help prevent further loss of life; 2) demand military aid to Israel be halted to help deter further ethnic cleansing.
Thankfully, a group of House members came out today with a resolution calling for a ceasefire—a welcome sign of life from congressional progressives. Shame on the other “progressives” who didn’t endorse it, because the body count is rising, and fast:
^Alt text for screen readers: Over 20,00 Israelis and Palestinians were killed or wounded in the last 10 days. Reported fatalities and injuries, October 7 through 16: This orange and brown column chart shows Palestinian fatalities (2,866) and injuries (12,026) on the left and Israeli fatalities (1,300) and injuries (4,121) on the right. Figures as of 16 Oct 2023. Data comes from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
-Stephen (@stephensemler; stephen@securityreform.org)
Find this note useful? Please consider becoming a supporter of SPRI. Unlike establishment think tanks, we rely exclusively on small donations.