Sign in Subscribe
Arab-Israeli conflicts

Antony Blinken's Ongoing Conflict: A Leak Exposing Lies to Congress

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Antony Blinken's May 10 presentation to Congress about the ongoing conflict in Gaza ignited controversy when he stated that the Israeli government was not prohibiting or restricting the transport of U.S. humanitarian assistance. This announcement directly contradicted a report from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which assessed that Israel's actions were causing significant noncombatant suffering by hindering the delivery of food and aid to Palestinian civilians. The report detailed 11 instances of violation of international humanitarian law, including the killing of humanitarian workers and journalists, and the destruction of agricultural structures and hospitals.

Key Takeaways:

  • The USAID report found 11 instances of violation of international humanitarian law, including repeated strikes on protected sites, civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian workers.
  • Antony Blinken was presented with evidence of war crimes by Israel, including the destruction of agricultural structures, hospitals, and the killing of humanitarian workers and journalists.
  • Despite this evidence, Blinken stated that the Israeli government was not prohibiting or restricting the transport of U.S. humanitarian assistance.
  • The USAID assessment concluded that Israel's actions were likely violating international humanitarian law, prompting a call for the U.S. to pause additional arms sales to Israel.
  • President Biden stated that the violence in Gaza was not genocide, and rejected the International Court of Justice's ruling on the matter.
  • According to ProPublica, a stockpile of lifesaving food, worth $15 million, was blocked by Israeli forces from crossing the border, leaving 1.5 million Palestinians without food for five months.
  • The United Nations World Food Program stated that Northern Gaza has entered "full-blown famine," with nearly half of the Palestinians in the region struggling with hunger.
  • The USAID report concluded that Israel's actions constituted "one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in the world."

Statistics:

  • November 2022: ProPublica reported that over 50,000 tons of U.S. weaponry had been shipped to Israel since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
  • October 2022: President Biden enacted a new requirement, known as National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20), which obligates the Secretary of State to obtain written assurances from recipients of U.S. weaponry that they are abiding by international humanitarian law.
  • April 2023: The United States provided Israel with a $8.7 billion aid package to deal with the violence with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
  • Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the U.S. has provided Israel with $12.5 billion in military aid.

Sources:

  • "ProPublica Report"
  • "United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Memo"
  • "Council on Foreign Relations Report"
  • "Reuters Report"
  • "Times of Israel Report"
  • "Al Jazeera Report"
  • "Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Statement"
  • "State Department Documents"
  • "International Court of Justice Ruling"

Read more