May 10, 2024: The Department of State and the Department of Defense have submitted a much-anticipated report to the U.S. Congress today, which includes a section on Israel. In response, representatives of leading humanitarian, human rights, and policy organizations, who will organize a press briefing early next week, have made the following statements to the press about the report and its implications for the Biden administration’s approach to the war in Gaza:
Amanda Klasing, National Director of Government Relations at Amnesty International USA, said: “This report seems like the international version of ‘thoughts and prayers:’ admitting there’s a problem but not doing anything meaningful to prevent the further loss of lives. Despite President Biden’s vague comments earlier this week, his administration today made its position loud and clear: it points fingers and takes swift action when an actor the U.S. government considers an adversary violates international law, but treats the government of Israel as above the law, even while acknowledging the overwhelming evidence that Israeli forces are violating international law and killing Palestinian civilians with U.S. origin weapons on U.S. taxpayer dime.”
Annie Shiel, U.S. Advocacy Director at Center for Civilians in Conflict, said: “For all its semantic dodging and inconsistencies, the report can’t paper over the truth: that Israel is using US weapons to devastate civilians and in apparent violations of international humanitarian law. Anything less than an immediate - and long overdue - end to US arms transfers signals that the United States approves of this conduct and refuses to end US complicity in devastating harm. In light of the administration’s abject failure to do what US and international law and policy, and basic humanity, require, Congress must step in immediately.”
Matt Duss, Executive Vice President at the Center for International Policy: “The administration has once again ignored a mountain of evidence and failed to hold Israel accountable for severe violations of international and US law in its conduct in the Gaza war. While we welcome President Biden’s recent promise to withhold certain munitions out of concern for civilian harm, today’s report functionally greenlights Israel’s continued use of US weapons in ways contrary to our law, interests and values.”
Sarah Yager, Washington Director at Human Rights Watch: “If I had deep concern about a car, I wouldn’t drive it. Deep concern about Israel’s conduct in Gaza is about the actual lives of civilians including children who are being killed and are starving. The NSM report should give Congress all the information they need to act. Israel’s conduct is violating several US laws and policies on arms transfers. It’s shocking how much information the United States doesn’t have about Israel’s conduct in Gaza. As its closest security partner, the US should have a deep understanding about IDF investigations or its proportionality calculus when deciding to bomb a civilian area. It appears from the NSM as if Israel has been saying ‘just trust us.’ That’s an unacceptable answer for a force facing credible allegations that it’s been committing war crimes.”
Abby Maxman, Oxfam America’s President & CEO, said: “Despite what the Biden administration claims in today’s report to Congress, it is clear that Israel is violating international law and obstructing aid into Gaza. In turning a blind eye, the administration is allowing Israel to continue to do so without consequence. Israel’s routine violations have pushed half of Gaza’s population to the brink of famine. The Biden administration published NSM-20 to hold itself and the recipients of its military aid accountable to the requirements of US law, but instead it is demonstrating those laws only apply when politically convenient. With today's report, the US will be complicit in even more death and suffering in Gaza.”
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Amnesty International USA: Laura Rusu, Lrusu@aiusa.org
Center for Civilians in Conflict: Annie Shiel, ashiel@civiliansinconflict.org
Center for International Policy: Sara DuBois, sdubois@internationalpolicy.org
Human Rights Watch: Sarah Yager, yagers@hrw.org
Oxfam America: Lauren Hartnett, lauren.hartnett@oxfam.org
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