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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Comment
Mohamad Bazzi

Biden now has his best opening to end Israel’s war on Gaza – and won’t use it

President Biden walking up a stair onto Air Force One.
‘Days after Biden decided to continue arming Israel into the twilight of his presidency, Human Rights Watch released a devastating 154-page report that contradicted most US and Israeli assurances that Israel is not violating international law.’ Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

When the histories of his administration are written, it will be clear that Joe Biden held on to his callous disregard for Palestinians until the end of his presidency. How else to explain why Biden would refuse a final chance to stop Israel’s brutal war on Gaza and save Palestinian lives, when he has nothing to lose?

On Tuesday, the Biden administration quietly ignored its own deadline for Israel to increase the minuscule amount of humanitarian aid it allows to enter Gaza. The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, imposed the 30-day deadline in a letter sent to Israeli officials on 13 October, which warned that they must take “concrete measures” to ensure that Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza have access to food, medicine and other necessities. The administration said it could suspend US military support to Israel if conditions did not improve. Despite the US ultimatum, the amount of aid reaching the besieged territory in October had dropped to its lowest level in 11 months.

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