A couple of weeks ago President Joe Biden told a group of donors that Israel is losing support from the international community due to its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.
The death toll in Gaza is thought to be over 20,000. Many children have died, given around half of Gaza’s population is under 18.
Biden effectively admitted that the government of Israel has committed war crimes. The United Nations defines war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Laws of War, also known as International Humanitarian Law.
“Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world supporting them,” Biden said to donors.
“They’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” he said.
Despite this admission, Biden continues to push for unconditional aid to Israel, which violates U.S. law.
The phrase “Leahy law” pertains to two legal provisions that prohibit the United States government from allocating funds for aid to foreign security forces in cases where there is verifiable evidence suggesting that the government is involved in the perpetration of human rights violations.
“We’re not going to do a damn thing other than protect Israel in the process. Not a single thing,” Biden recently told donors.
Tim Rieser, a senior adviser to former Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT.) who was a key creator of the law told Vox, “The Israelis too often seem to act as though international law does not apply to them. And our government has acted as though the Leahy Law doesn’t apply to [the Israelis]… As a result, there is a kind of culture of impunity — they can do almost anything to the Palestinians without being accountable.”
Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights noted that the Biden administration has sold or given weapons to at least two other states that abuse human rights, including the Philippines and Egypt.
A worldwide Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that imposes stringent regulations to govern international arms transfers has been in effect for more than five years; nevertheless, the trading of arms on a global scale is still ascending and perpetuating human rights violations. The underlying reason for this prevailing issue is the non-ratification of the treaty by major arms exporters such as Russia and the United States.
Furthermore, even countries that have ratified the treaty demonstrate non-compliance by transferring weaponry and ammunition to regions where their utilization might entail grave violations of international humanitarian law, potentially including acts constituting war crimes.
President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have expressed their commitment to placing human rights as the focal point of United States foreign policy, but regrettably, they have fallen short in upholding this principle.
The Biden administration ought to uphold its obligations regarding human rights. If it is incapable or unwilling to do so, Congress should exercise oversight and reject the engagement in transactions with governments that abuse human rights.
The United States cannot assert its commitment to the promotion of human rights when engaging in the sale of weaponry to governments known for their infringement upon these rights. Such actions not only erode the credibility of the United States but also undermine states’ respect for human rights on a global scale.
