Smoke rises after Israeli air strikes as seen from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 1, 2023. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
The Democrats wrote they should use “all our leverage” to put pressure on Israel to alter its war strategy.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
In a letter to the Biden Administration on Tuesday, six House Democrats demanded the President pressure Israel to make an ‘immediate and significant shift’ in its war strategy.
The letter said, “We are deeply concerned by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s] current military strategy in Gaza.”
It continued, “The mounting civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis are unacceptable and not in line with American interests; nor do they advance the cause of security for our ally Israel.”
“We also believe it jeopardizes efforts to destroy the terrorist organization Hamas and secure the release of all hostages.”
The Democrats stated that previous efforts to try to influence the Netanyahu administration to downshift into less intensive operations in Gaza were not working and that the Biden Administration and Democrats should use “all our leverage” to put pressure on Israel.
The statement was signed by members of the House Intelligence, Armed Services or Foreign Affairs committees.
Those who signed included: Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
The effort is yet another attempt for Democrats to urge President Biden to force Israel’s hand in its war with Hamas amid the Hamas Health Ministry’s report of some 20,000 fatalities in Gaza.
However, these numbers, although often quoted, have not been verified nor is it frequently mentioned that civilian deaths may be caused by Hamas’ location of missile launchers, explosives, and terror tunnels adjacent to schools, hospitals, mosques, and other public areas.
In a recent press conference, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said it was a “top priority” to end the war with Hamas as soon as possible, given the reported number of casualties.
U.S. hopes for a pause in fighting and a new hostage deal were frustrated on Thursday night as Hamas refused to release any additional hostages unless Israel declared a permanent ceasefire.
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