Israel 'Above the Law': White House's Report on Possible Israeli Violations in Gaza Mocked

The Biden administration is trying to keep its donors happy, while pretending to give a shit about Gazans.

The Biden administration issued its delayed report to Congress late Friday on whether Israel was in violation of international law and said its use of U.S. weapons likely broke international law, but said the evidence is not complete.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told reporters that it is likely that the administration is “ducking a determination on the hard cases. Politically inconvenient cases,” according to the Associated Press.

Amanda Klasing, the national director of government relations at Amnesty International, posted on X that while U.S. President Joe Biden made vague comments last week, “his administration made its position loud & clear: it points fingers & takes swift action when an adversary violates int law, but treats Israel as above the law, even while acknowledging that Israel forces are violating IHL [International Humanitarian Law].”

She called the administration’s report the international version of “thoughts & prayers:’ it's bidding there's a problem but not doing anything meaningful to prevent the further loss of lives.”

Matthew Miller, the spokesman who faced calls to resign over his defense of Israel, told reporters on Tuesday that the department may “slip a bit” past the Wednesday deadline for Congress.

The Hill said the report is “mandated by National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM 20), which [President Joe] Biden issued in February, and is due by May 8. It requires the administration to assess Israeli assurances that it is using U.S. weapons in line with international laws on war and human rights.”

Brian Finucane, a senior adviser at the Crisis Group, posted on X: “Recall that NSM-20 requires ‘determinations, if they can reasonably be made’ as to whether U.S. defense articles have be used "in a manner not consistent with international law," (eg to violate the law of war). Sounds like admin may have resisted reaching such determinations.”