With US president Joe Biden under increasing pressure to alter his policy towards Israel, it is significant that he has said publicly that Israel is starting to lose international support for its offensive over “indiscriminate” bombing of Gaza.
His comments were made at a fundraising event on December 12, and may well be part of attempts by the US to put more pressure on Israel to rein in its intensive bombing campaign and to do more to avoid deaths of civilians. Biden did add that there was “no question about the need to take on Hamas”.
The US has a long history as an ally of Israel. It was the first country to recognise Israel as a sovereign nation, in 1948, and has long seen it as a strategic partner. It has also made significant efforts to negotiate a peace settlement between the Palestinians and Israel. However, Biden had a cool relationship with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu even before the offensive.
