The leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Britain pledged in a joint statement Monday to “support Israel in its efforts to defend itself” after the surprise attacks by militant group Hamas. They added that they “recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people” but said Hamas, which carried out Saturday’s deadly assault on a music festival in northern Israel, “offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed.”
The five nations also condemned the “heinous, terrorist attack” at the event and vowed to work in “lockstep” with Israel as it carries out its “disproportionate” response. The statement added that they will continue to support Israel’s security needs through US aid.
As a longtime US ally, Israel has a range of military ties with Washington, including an ample supply of weaponry, intelligence sharing, and joint military exercises. The US also gives Israel billions annually in foreign military financing and loan guarantees.
Nevertheless, there is a significant gap in policy toward Israel in the United States Democratic Party, especially among younger activists, whose roots lie in the Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter movements. At a pro-Hamas rally in New York City on Sunday, speaker after speaker celebrated the massacre of civilians in Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Gaza. The event drew some 900 people to Times Square and was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America, a far-left political organization.
The Obama administration has shifted from a position of wholehearted, but not unquestioning, support for Israel to a more measured approach. It is balancing the need for Israel to be able to defend itself with the desire not to jeopardize a peace process that most Israeli Jews and Palestinians want to see complete.
At the same time, the Obama administration continues to pursue a comprehensive Middle East peace plan. The White House hopes to reach a final framework by the end of the summer.
A top US official says the Obama administration remains committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and will use “all elements of national power” to ensure that goal is not realized. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, cited President Biden’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday and his upcoming quadrilateral meetings in India and the UAE as examples of this.
The officials also emphasized that the US and Israel will continue to work together to build a solid regional architecture, deepen economic ties, and expand Israel’s ties with Arab and Muslim countries over time. They also praised the recent meetings of their defense ministers and their upcoming quadrilateral meeting in Bahrain as part of this effort. They affirmed their commitment to working together on operational cyber exchange and combating cybercrime. In addition, they reaffirmed their commitment to facilitating Israeli passport holders’ inclusion in the US visa waiver program as quickly as possible. The leaders expressed their enthusiasm to continue their efforts at the I2U2 Forum for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a significant initiative first launched in October 2021, and to develop bilateral cooperation in advanced technology further.