Washington [US], May 30: The White House affirms that Israel has not crossed Washington's red line, but US President Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure to adjust policies with allies because of the war in Gaza.
During a press conference at the White House on May 28, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Washington did not think Israel's recent actions in Rafah City, south of Gaza, were a full-scale military campaign. President Biden crossed the "red line". The US leader also has no plans to change policy towards Israel, according to Mr. Kirby.
The US has not changed its policy
President Biden said in early May that he did not support Israel conducting a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah, where about 1 million civilians were evacuated. The US government has also temporarily stopped delivering heavy bombs to Israel because of concerns they could be used in this city. However, since then, the White House owner has taken no action even when Israel increased air strikes and even deployed tanks into the center of Rafah.
Dozens of Palestinian civilians have been killed in refugee areas west of Rafah in recent days. According to Reuters , Gaza officials said at least 21 people died when Israeli tanks bombarded the tent camp in Al-Mawasi on May 28, although Israel denied involvement. Previously, Israel admitted that the airstrike on the tent camp in Tel Al-Sultan killed 45 people on May 26, saying it was a "tragic accident".
"I have no policy changes to announce after the attack (by Israel in Rafah) on May 26. The incident just happened, Israel is investigating," AFP quoted Mr. Kirby as telling reporters on May 28. When asked if "how many charred bodies" would be needed to make President Biden change policy, Mr. Kirby said the US does not "ignore" what is happening to Palestinian civilians.
Under constant questioning from the press, Mr. Kirby affirmed that the White House is not "flexible in changing" the way it determines what is a large-scale ground attack campaign in Rafah.
"We have not seen them (Israel) rush into Rafah. We have not seen them advance with large units, large numbers of soldiers in vertical formation and in some coordinated fashion against multiple targets on the surface." land," he said.
The red line is blurred
The US is Israel 's most important ally and still supports the country in the Gaza conflict, despite Israel's increasing isolation on the international stage. But President Biden faces more and more challenges in his efforts to find policy balance, especially as he pursues his re-election campaign to stay in the White House for another term.
"Mr. Biden wants to appear tough on the Rafah issue and has really tried to be strict with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, but in this election year, his red lines are increasingly blurred," Mr. Colin Clarke, research director of Soufan Group (TSG, a global intelligence and security consulting company headquartered in the US), commented to AFP.
The question being asked is how long Washington can accept Netanyahu pursuing the campaign in Rafah after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to immediately stop this action. Both the United States and Israel are members of the ICJ, one of the six main organs of the United Nations and the only international court that arbitrates disputes between nations.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on May 28 that Washington will closely monitor Israel's investigation into the airstrike on tents in Rafah, but Israel's military activities in this city have so far not been reported. large scale as in central or northern Gaza. Meanwhile, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that the operation Israel is conducting in Rafah "remains limited in scope".
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
