Many voters believe, with good reason, that none of this would have happened without Bidenā€™s assent. Biden has continued to speak of Israelā€™s attack on Palestinian civilians using the absurd language of ā€œself-defenseā€. He has insulted Jewish Americans and the memory of the Holocaust by invoking them to justify the slaughter. And though his White House repeatedly leaks that he is ā€œprivatelyā€ dismayed by Israelā€™s conduct of the war, he has done little to stop the flow of US money and guns that support it.

Even after the US state department issued a vexed and mealy-mouthed report on Israelā€™s conduct, which nevertheless concluded that it was reasonable to assess that Israel was in violation of international humanitarian law, the Biden administration has continued to fund these violations. That state department report was published on 10 May. The Biden administration told Congress that it intends to move forward with a $1bn arms sale to Israel. ā€œOK, [Israel] likely broke the law, but not enough to change policy,ā€ is how one reporter summarized the administrationā€™s judgment. ā€œSo, what is the point of the report? I mean, in the simplest terms, whatā€™s the point?ā€

Meanwhile, Biden has expressed public disdain for the Americans ā€“ many of whom he needs to vote for him ā€“ who have taken to protest on behalf of Palestinian lives. Speaking with evident approval of the violent police crackdowns against anti-genocide student demonstrations, he said coolly: ā€œDissent must never lead to disorder.ā€

  • xerazal@lemmy.zip
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    7 months ago

    US presidents have told Israel to cut the shit and stop or else multiple times in the past and Israel has listened. The same can and should be done here. Eisenhower did it, ford did it, Reagan did it, and h w bush did it.

    Trying to voter shame people when they feel so strongly about this really isnā€™t going to work or help you. I agree, Trump really should not be allowed to get into office, but at the same time you canā€™t act as if these voters donā€™t have a right to be angry. For these people, it goes further than just voting.

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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      7 months ago

      They really havenā€™t listened, and will continue not listening.

      My favorite example was in the run up to the Iraq war. One of the excuses W. tried to float was that Iraq was in violation of 17 or 18 UN resolutions.

      At the time, Israel was violating over 80 of them and it would have been more except for US veto power.

      As long as the money keeps flowing, Israel doesnā€™t give two shits.