Bipartisan Criticism Mounts for Biden's Israel Policy on Capitol Hill

Lawmakers from both parties are criticizing President Joe Biden for threatening to cut off some US weapons if Israel launches a major offensive in Rafah.

Biden's announcement of this ultimatum during an interview with CNN's Erin Burnett has sparked backlash from Republicans and raised concerns among Democrats.

Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio expressed his concern during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union." He mentioned the contradiction in the situation where there are complaints about too many Palestinian civilians being killed, but at the same time, the supply of precision guided weapons that reduce civilian casualties is being restricted by the Biden administration. Biden's decision specifically targets bombs and artillery shells that are considered indiscriminate and inaccurate.

Vance pointed out that the current policy doesn't align with the goal of minimizing Palestinian casualties. He highlighted the inconsistency in the approach, stating that withholding precision guided weapons does not seem to make logical sense in addressing the issue.

The president's announcement marked a significant moment in US-Israeli relations during the ongoing seven-month conflict between Israel and Hamas. Despite this, the president's aides mentioned that the message should not have come as a surprise to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as there were repeated warnings given to Israel.

Just recently, Biden approved a temporary halt on the delivery of 3,500 bombs to Israel out of concern that they would be used in Rafah. Israel had already issued evacuation orders for some of the 1.4 million civilians seeking shelter in the area, as it seemed prepared to continue its advance towards the southern Gaza city.

Biden recently mentioned to Burnett that he would not provide weapons historically used in Rafah or other cities.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham criticized this decision, calling it the worst in US-Israel relations. He urged the Biden administration to continue supplying weapons to Israel and engage in discussions with them.

President Joe Biden speaks with CNN’s Erin Burnett during an exclusive interview Wednesday, May 8, in Racine, Wisconsin.

President Joe Biden speaks with CNN’s Erin Burnett during an exclusive interview Wednesday, May 8, in Racine, Wisconsin.

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Biden’s ultimatum to Israel over Rafah has sparked different reactions. GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida criticized Biden's decision, calling it a "horrible message for Israel." Scott claimed that Biden is now part of the "pro-Hamas wing" of his party.

But not everyone is against the decision. A group of 26 House Democrats wrote a letter to Biden expressing their worries about the message being sent to Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups by holding back weapon shipments to Israel.

A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, have requested a briefing from the White House to gain more information on President Biden's decision regarding aid for Israel, including details on how and when the aid approved by Congress will be delivered.

On the other hand, Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state pointed out the specific types of weapons that are being withheld. He mentioned in an interview on Fox News that the President did not clearly address this issue, stating that only dumb, 2,000-pound bombs have been withheld so far because President Biden believes they should not be used in Rafah.

Other Democrats have come forward to support Biden, who made his final decision after speaking with Netanyahu several times, beginning in mid-February.

In a different interview on “State of the Union,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut mentioned that Biden was taking into account the errors made in US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In both of those efforts, we learned that it is impossible to defeat terrorist ideology or a terrorist movement, according to Murphy.

The president is advising Israelis that while we will support them as partners, they must consider that the high number of civilian casualties and destruction caused by the conflict will ultimately strengthen Hamas. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of future attacks on Israel and boosts the capabilities of other terrorist groups with intentions of targeting the United States.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Sunday that the US thinks Israel has caused more civilian casualties than Hamas militants in the Gaza conflict. He emphasized the need for Israel to take further steps to prevent civilian deaths.

Blinken mentioned on CBS' "Face the Nation" that although Israel has measures in place to reduce harm to civilians, these have not been consistently and effectively implemented during the current war in Gaza.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Sunday that more than 35,000 people have been killed in the enclave due to Israeli military actions.

A report from the State Department highlights the use of US weapons by Israel.

The State Department recently released a report stating that there is reason to believe that US weapons have been used by Israeli forces in Gaza in a manner that goes against international humanitarian law. However, they did not officially accuse Israel of breaking the law.

During an interview on "Face the Nation", Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen expressed his belief that there is sufficient evidence to identify specific instances where the law has been violated. He also mentioned that the administration avoided addressing these challenging questions.

Van Hollen expressed concern that the report may have given political cover to Netanyahu to carry out more deadly strikes in Israel. He is worried that the administration did not provide a full and honest account of the facts and laws involved.

The report did not discover any evidence that Israel has been withholding humanitarian aid to Gaza in a way that goes against international laws, even though there have been conflicting reports.

Van Hollen expressed concern that by not explicitly denouncing the arbitrary restrictions placed on humanitarian aid, a low standard of acceptability has been set. He believes this may have negative consequences in the future.

Murphy felt that the report could have delved deeper into the issue, but acknowledges that it accurately portrays the complexity of the situation. He also criticized the Israeli military for what he sees as disastrous decisions regarding proportionality.

Democratic Senator Chris Coons from Delaware stood up for President Biden against Van Hollen's criticisms of the State Department report. Coons mentioned, "I believe President Biden has made strong decisions - in fact, his recent public statement has faced a lot of criticism."

This report also had contributions from CNN's Kit Maher, Aileen Graef, Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, and Kylie Atwood.

Editor's P/S:

President Biden's decision to halt arms shipments to Israel has sparked a political firestorm, with Republicans condemning the move as detrimental to US-Israel relations and Democrats expressing concerns about the message it sends to Hamas. The underlying issue revolves around the high civilian death toll in Gaza, with the Biden administration arguing that restricting certain weapons will help minimize casualties. However, critics argue that withholding precision-guided weapons, which are more accurate and cause fewer civilian casualties, is counterproductive. They believe it will only embolden Hamas and increase the risk of future attacks on Israel.

The decision also raises questions about the delicate balance between supporting Israel's security and upholding international humanitarian law. The State Department report on the use of US weapons in Gaza highlights the complexity of this issue, but some argue that it does not go far enough in condemning potential violations by Israel. The debate underscores the ongoing tensions between protecting civilians, maintaining regional stability, and addressing the broader conflict between Israel and Hamas.