"Disappointment Arises from Questionable Methods and Outcomes in U.S. Report on Israel's Gaza Actions"
The U.S. is unbothered by Israel's questionable military tactics in Gaza, as the State Department failed to establish that Israel violated international law by using American weapons. Experts argue this lack of concern is evident, following the State Department's inability to conclude such violations.
The State Department's report, released on Friday as part of President Joe Biden's National Security Memorandum-20 (NSM-20), stated it was "plausible" that Israel used US weapons in Gaza inconsistently with international humanitarian law. However, citing insufficient evidence and a lack of on-the-ground presence in Gaza, the administration was unable to make a definitive conclusion.
If the State Department had found Israel violating international law with American weapons, it would have required a halt to weapons transfers. The report also found that, while there were instances of Israel obstructing and limiting humanitarian aid access to Gaza reported by aid agencies, the State Department stated it currently does not view Israel as hindering "the transport or delivery of US humanitarian aid" to the region.
These conclusions left Sarah Yager from Human Rights Watch perplexed, especially considering the close working relationship between the US military and Pentagon in the past. During a news conference, Yager expressed shock, stating that it was surprising the US doesn't have information on Israel's military conduct from its closest security partner.
Since Israel's war in Gaza began last October, the Biden administration has maintained that Israel is adhering to international law and has yet to discover any instances of violations. However, international law experts previously told Middle East Eye that these claims are misleading at best and overtly manipulative at worst, with numerous examples of violations.
The Israeli military is believed to have killed over 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, with a majority being women and children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry's reported death toll. Israeli forces have targeted schools, hospitals, UN shelters, residential squares, and other vital installations with aerial bombardment and other attacks.
Throughout its ongoing war in Gaza, the US has expedited weapons and ammunition shipments to the Israeli military, despite objections from human rights groups, lawmakers, and even administration officials who have resigned in protest against the government's Israel policy since October.
Amanda Klasing, Advocacy and Government Relations Director at Amnesty International USA, stated that the report’s justification for continuing arms transfers to Israel, based on limited evidence of civilian harm, raises questions about the commitment to push Israel to comply with international humanitarian law.
The issuance of the NSM-20 followed Senator Chris Van Hollen's announcement on February 7 that he intended to introduce an amendment requiring a similar report on whether the use of American weapons in Gaza aligns with international and US law. The NSM-20 faced skepticism from Van Hollen and other lawmakers, who believed there were numerous existing laws to assess the legality of weapon transfers to Israel.
Critics argue that the U.S. government genuinely seeks accountability for Israel's actions during the war. The report notes several reported instances of civilian deaths in Gaza, but it also suggests that determining facts in the midst of an active war zone is challenging and that military targets may exist across Gaza. The report also states that attacking protected sites such as civilian infrastructure does not necessarily constitute violations of international humanitarian law when these sites are used for military purposes.
However, rights groups have expressed doubts about Israel's claims that hospitals attacked during the war were military bases, as they found no evidence to support these claims. Yager believes that the US government is hesitant to request this information from Israel due to concerns about complicity in potential violations of international law.
- The State Department's report questioned Israel's use of American weapons in Gaza, but concluded that insufficient evidence and lack of on-ground presence prevented a definitive finding of violating international law.
- Sarah Yager from Human Rights Watch expressed surprise that the US didn't have information on Israel's military conduct from its closest security partner, given the close working relationship between the US military and Pentagon.
- The ongoing war in Gaza has raised concerns about Israel's adherence to international humanitarian law, with human rights groups accusing Israeli forces of targeting schools, hospitals, and other vital installations.
- The issuance of NSM-20 followed Senator Chris Van Hollen's announcement of an intended amendment requiring a report on whether the use of American weapons in Gaza aligns with international and US law.
- Rights groups have questioned Israel's claims that hospitals attacked during the war were military bases, as they found no evidence to support these claims, raising doubts about potential violations of international law and the US government's commitment to accountability.
