86 elected Democrats call on Joe Biden to put pressure on Israel to speed up the delivery of humanitarian aid

Some 86 Democratic parliamentarians urged American President Joe Biden on Friday, May 3, to consider interrupting his arms sales to Israel if the government of Benjamin Netanyahu does not change its war strategy against Hamas. In a letter sent to the White House, these elected officials share their “grave concerns about the conduct of the war in Gaza by the Israeli government, with regard to the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid.” Restrictions imposed by Israel on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza “contribute to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe”they insist.

The signatories, including many members of the House of Representatives, ask the Democratic President to make Benjamin Netanyahu understand that any obstacle to the delivery of aid to Gaza “jeopardizes its eligibility for new offensive security assistance from the United States”. However, they call for Israeli anti-missile defense systems, such as the Iron Dome, to be excluded from this possible suspension of American aid to Tel Aviv. “We continue to strongly support providing life-saving defensive funding to Israel”warns the letter.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, Joe Biden has been criticized for his unconditional support for Israel. At the end of March, two NGOs also called on Washington to suspend its arms deliveries to Tel Aviv.