President Joe Biden and his administration have been accused of being complicit in enabling a famine in Gaza by failing to sufficiently act on repeated warnings from their own experts and aid agencies.

The former officials say the US also provided diplomatic cover for Israel to create the conditions for famine by blocking international efforts to bring about a ceasefire or alleviate the crisis, making the delivery of aid almost impossible.

“This is not just turning a blind eye to the man-made starvation of an entire population, it is direct complicity,” former State Department official Josh Paul, who resigned over US support for the war, told The Independent.

  • logicbomb@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Because this is politics, and the US has only two possible options in November, it is good to remember that Trump told Israel that it should “end the problem” of Gaza.

    Even if you don’t like Biden on this issue, it is imperative to vote for him in November. A non-vote for Biden is almost as bad as a vote for Trump.

    I can guarantee MAGA will have no qualms voting for Trump despite his genocidal tendencies. If you don’t vote for Biden and Trump wins, you will be responsible for a lot of suffering.

  • Tinidril@midwest.social
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    3 months ago

    The majority of Palestinian deaths came after the last ceasefire. The UN Security Council demanded another ceasefire exactly like the armchair diplomats demanded, and yet it made no difference at all. At what point do people realize that foreign policy is complex as fuck and that knee jerk solutions, however well intended, are not the real answer?

    We don’t need a ceasefire, we need a peace. That requires careful application of power and influence across multiple warring cultures with a crazy web of often contradictory alegences. That’s the goal that the Biden administration has been working towards, and abandoning Israel would be a disaster for everyone.

    With or without US support, Israel can destroy Gaza. Israel has twice the population of Palestine, is far better armed already, and their people are better educated and have access to food and medicine. Israel also has a right wing Prime Minister who’s entire political image is based on anti-Palestinian racism. Throw in the fact that he might face trial as soon as he leaves office, and it becomes clear he is not backing down.

    The new shipments recently announced are for some time in 2026 at the earliest. They are of no assistance to Israel until then and, until that time, they are leverage.

    I make no defense for Israel’s actions in this conflict, the illegal settlements, or the apartide system they benefit from. I also disagree with a whole lot about the Biden administration’s response to this conflict, and to the protests within the US. However, it’s a far more complicated situation than many understand. People should also keep in mind that foreign policy strategies often collapse if talked about publicly.

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      However, it’s a far more complicated situation than many understand. People should also keep in mind that foreign policy strategies often collapse if talked about publicly.

      How utterly convenient for pro-genocide centrists.

    • Neon 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇹🇼🇮🇱 @lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Nuanced and well-thought-through thoughts instead of Populism? On Lemmy?

      Seriously, It made me really happy to see that there are still people that actually inform themselves, sit down and think through stuff.

      A rarity sadly.

    • Krono@lemmy.today
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      3 months ago

      [Peace is] the goal that the Biden administration has been working towards

      Yeah totally, the guy who has shipped 300,000 bombs to a genocidal warlord is actually working for peace! And anyone who disagrees just doesn’t understand the complexity of the situation. /s

    • Tinidril@midwest.social
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      3 months ago

      The college protests actually seem to have raised the pressure on Israel, and have started to spread in Europe. I think that joining with that effort is probably the most impact that average citizens can have. That and donate to charitable organizations bringing aid to Gaza, even if that aid is currently being blocked.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        The college protests actually seem to have raised the pressure on Israel

        How have they changed the way Netanyahu pursues genocide?

        • Tinidril@midwest.social
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          3 months ago

          Just the fact that he felt the need to address them himself on TV is evidence that he feels pressure. I never claimed they were changing the course of history, but if you have better suggestions then please make them.

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            but if you have better suggestions then please make them

            I keep making it: Biden should stop sending Netanyahu weapons for genocide.

            • Tinidril@midwest.social
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              3 months ago

              The question was what can we as individuals do? Anyways, US aid generally accounts for around ,15% of Israel’s defense budget, and there are plenty of other countries from which to buy bombs.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                3 months ago

                The question was what can we as individuals do?

                Gloat harder that the only thing we can do is vote for one of two pro-genocide candidates.

                Anyways, US aid generally accounts for around ,15% of Israel’s defense budget, and there are plenty of other countries from which to buy bombs.

                So let Netanyahu buy from them. And where possible, sanction those who sell to Netanyahu. Why are we being complicit? And “it’s complicated, so shut up” isn’t an answer.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    3 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said: “Since the beginning of this conflict, president Biden has been leading efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas.”

    The same day Mr Ryan described Gaza’s grim outlook, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby defended the Biden administration’s decision to suspend aid to UNRWA.

    “Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centres in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” he said, adding that the coordinates for the facility were shared with the Israeli army.

    In an opinion piece headlined “Let People Eat” published in The New York Times in the days after the killings, Mr Andrés said the strike was “the direct result of a policy that squeezed humanitarian aid to desperate levels”, and accused Israel of “blocking food and medicine to civilians”.

    A separate memo written by USAID officials for Mr Blinken and leaked to Devex found that Israel may be violating a White House directive requiring recipients of US military assistance to permit the unimpeded delivery of US-funded humanitarian support.

    Yet another memo leaked to Devex by food security experts was titled “Famine Inevitable, Changes Could Reduce but Not Stop Widespread Civilian Deaths.” It said that “Israel-imposed administrative challenges are preventing the delivery” of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.


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