$14 billion to Israel.. Is Washington involved in ethnic cleansing in Gaza? | Policy

Washington- Many American human rights and humanitarian organizations express their concern about the possibility that President Joe Biden’s administration may contribute to or be complicit in fueling Israeli war crimes against the Gaza Strip, including ethnic cleansing and a program to displace Palestinians.

On October 20, the White House sent a request to Congress to obtain supplemental funding for the current fiscal year worth $106 billion, which includes support for Ukraine with $61 billion, Israel with $14 billion, and other programs, including $5.6 billion for logistical support, infrastructure, and other aid to make life easier. Palestinians displaced from Gaza to neighboring countries.

In a statement, the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) called on the Biden administration not to be complicit in fueling or encouraging war crimes, and to adhere to American law and ensure that its military aid is used only for defensive purposes and does not support human rights violations.

The statement added that American decision-makers must renew attention to the root causes of this violence, and any solution must grant Palestinians and Israelis equal rights and access to a life of freedom, dignity, security and peace.

For its part, the Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) organization warned the Biden administration regarding its request from Congress to approve funding of $14 billion to Israel, considering that this payment contains language that indicates support for the idea of ​​forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza.

This organization urged Congress to reject the supplemental funding bill, which proposes to fund humanitarian aid for Palestinians displaced from Gaza to neighboring countries.

“Instead of demanding a ceasefire to protect Palestinian civilians from further atrocities, the Biden administration is cynically manipulating us into accepting help for expelled Palestinians as a consolation prize,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, director of the organization.

Unconditional support

The US House of Representatives did not approve this financing package because of the allocations to Ukraine, which most Republican members reject, while Biden threatened to use his veto against the Republicans’ decision if he excluded funding for Kiev.

Seth Binder, an expert at the Middle East Democracy Project in Washington, told Al Jazeera Net that the Biden administration’s request for an aid package worth $14 billion for Israel is unprecedented in size, and shows unconditional support for Israel despite the growing evidence that it committed war crimes in its response to the Hamas attack on October 7. / Last October.

A memorandum of understanding – signed in 2016 between the United States and Israel – regulates the volume of bilateral military aid for a period of 10 years, and commits Washington to providing Israel with $3.3 billion in foreign military financing annually.

It also commits the United States to spending $500 million annually on joint missile defense programs from fiscal year 2019 to 2028. The memorandum indicates the possibility of providing supplemental aid in emergency situations such as wars.

Immediately after the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the United States rushed to send many ammunition and bombs to the Israeli army to compensate for any shortage it might encounter. Many congressional leaders did not oppose Israel’s aggression, which has left more than 9,000 martyrs so far.

In an interview with CNN, Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina, responded to a question about whether there is a limit to the number of civilian casualties whose deaths Washington will accept in Gaza.

Legitimate concerns

“If someone asked us during World War II, is there a limit to what you will do to make sure that Japan and Germany do not invade the world? Are there any limits to what Israel should do to those who try to slaughter Jews? The answer is no, there is no limit,” Graham said.

Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, Ambassador David Mack, told Al Jazeera Net that there are legitimate and justified concerns by some pro-Palestinian human rights organizations about Biden’s request from Congress to help Israel, and about the possibility of Washington financing the displacement of Palestinians and ethnic cleansing.

In addition to $14 billion for Israel, Biden’s request includes funding for life-saving humanitarian aid in Gaza and support for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank and surrounding areas.

The memorandum included a special section entitled “Immigration and Asylum Aid,” in which Biden requested an additional amount of $3.5 billion, to remain available until it is spent, to meet humanitarian needs.

These resources would support civilians displaced and affected by the conflict, including Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank, and meet the potential needs of Gazans fleeing to neighboring countries.

This ambiguous language left the door open for some to see it as an American willingness to provide financial resources that reflect plans to displace the people of Gaza and resettle them outside the Strip.

The expert at the Middle East Democracy Project in Washington spoke about what he called legitimate concerns of human rights organizations regarding Biden’s request from Congress to approve the aid package to finance the displacement of Palestinians and ethnic cleansing, because some Israeli officials continued to express their desire to expel the Palestinians from Gaza.

Binder added to Al Jazeera Net, “Although Biden and other American officials expressed their opposition to any forced displacement, they must still make clear that he will not support any American funding for such efforts.”

In turn, Adam Shapiro, responsible for the Palestinian-Israeli file at the Democracy for the Arab World Now organization, told Al Jazeera Net, “The proposed bill shows that the Biden administration has run out of ideas, and that relying on military force to address a political problem – which everyone knows will not be solved militarily – is simply stupidity.” “.

He added that American policymakers and experts continue to avoid trying to find ways to deal with the real problem of the Israeli occupation and the apartheid regime, and they expect the Palestinians to virtually disappear, despite their better knowledge of the reality of the issue, as “this is a colossal failure of American leadership.”