The debatable benevolence of the US in the Middle East

4 min read EUGENIO GARCIA GASCON 0 comments

EUGENIO GARCIA GASCON

The United States likes to be considered a benevolent power that seeks the good of all in an altruistic way. After World War II, it facilitated the progress of its enemies up to that point, mainly Germany and Japan, which soon after became economic competitors. In other places it has also promoted development policies, as in the notorious case of China, although political rivalry is evident.

An exception to the benevolent power rule is Israel, whose war against the Gaza Strip, not against Hamas, has left thousands dead and missing. Washington's attitude in recent weeks has consisted of relentlessly feeding Israeli arsenals with bombs of all kinds, knowing the terrible humanitarian cost that the massive destruction has had for more than a million civilians.

The image of a benevolent power that the United States cultivates has been shattered, to the point that protests against President Joe Biden's administration in North American cities have become a regular, daily occurrence. The unrest has spread among thousands of officials in the White House, Congress, the State Department and the Pentagon. In some cases, the unrest has transpired through letters, signed or not, and even with a loud resignation.

It is pertinent to ask if the US can do anything to end so much pain, although first it should be asked if the US is really willing to put an end to it. Externally, the Biden administration maintains a consistent position of unconditional support for Israel, although on occasions it has added that the bombings should be carried out while safeguarding international humanitarian law. It is evident that this has not been done and that Washington has not taken any retaliatory or punitive action against the Jewish State.

Israel has attacked the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, for criticizing the enormous destruction caused by the bombings without distinguishing the Hamas militants from the population as a whole, with the death of thousands of children and women. Guterres has called the death of civilians “unparalleled and unprecedented in any other conflict.” However, for the US, all this destruction and death have not been enough to take measures to put an end to the bombings, such as stopping the shipment of bombs, ammunition and projectiles that caused the disaster.

The fact that Israel's very existence clearly depends on the US makes it possible that the great power could flex its muscle if it really wanted to end so much suffering, not only in this war, but also to resolve a conflict that Israel likes to manage while It is completing the occupation of the West Bank and the Syrian Golan through new settlers who never stop arriving at those destinations whose sovereignty is not recognized by the UN.

The US provides Israel with enormous military aid of more than 3.800 billion dollars annually. It would be enough for Biden to condition this aid, or a part of it, on Israel not acting in the way it is doing for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take note and stop the orgy of civilian deaths and the massive destruction also caused in the Stripe.

Congress and the Senate are authorized to review the administration's aid to other countries, so representatives and senators could condition American taxpayer money on Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law, which it does not do. Congress and the Senate are even more in tune with militarism than Biden in that specific case, and it does not seem that any solution will come from there. The inaction of Congress means solidarity with Netanyahu and the most radical sectors of his government, and that is precisely what is happening.

The same administration suspended the delivery of weapons to Saudi Arabia in 2021 because this country was not complying with the rules of the war in Yemen, and to pressure the Saudis to end the conflict. It is unthinkable that the US would do the same with Israel, due to the strong political dependence on Israel that exists on Capitol Hill and even in the White House itself.

The bottom line is that there is no final horizon for the conflict between Israel, on the one hand, and the Palestinians and Syrians, on the other. Instead of pushing to resolve these protracted crises, Washington encourages them with unconditional support for Israel. With less than a year left until the presidential elections, Biden must tread carefully if he wants to repeat himself in the White House, that is, he cannot pressure Israel to resolve the conflict, which questions the image of benevolence that Americans they strive to transmit.