Israel's Rafah offensive - backed by the Biden Administration

Israel’s intensification of its Gaza war in the Rafah area does not look good, unless you are someone like Bibi Netanyahu who obviously intends to keep the war - aka, killing lots of Palestinian civilians - going for as long as possible to protect himself from going to jail on corruption charges.

Most of the Gaza Strip residents, some 1.4 million people, are concentrated in Rafah. Tens of thousands are still fleeing into the city from Khan Yunis, where the fighting continues. The thought that Israel will invade Rafah and that fighting will take place between and near civilians terrifies the city's residents and the internally displaced persons. The terror they feel is augmented by the conclusion that nobody can prevent Israel from carrying out its intention – not even the ICJ ruling that orders Israel to take all measures to avoid acts of genocide.

Military correspondents in Israel report and assume that the army intends to order residents of Rafah to move to a safe area. Since the war started, the army has been waving around this evacuation order as evidence that it is acting in order to prevent any harm to "uninvolved civilians."

This safe zone, however, which was bombarded and still is bombarded by Israel, is gradually shrinking. The only safe zone that truly remains, and which the IDF is now designating for the masses of people in Rafah, is Al-Mawasi – a southern Gaza coastal area of approximately 16 square kilometers (about 6 square miles).

It's still unclear by what verbal measures the IDF and its legal experts intend to reconcile this squeezing of so many civilians with the orders given by the ICJ [Internet Court of Justice]. (1) [my emphasis]

The Netanyahu government shows little sign of taking seriously the warnings that the Biden Administration has supposedly been giving them since October to not kill so many civilians and not be so reckless about their contempt for the laws of war and humanitarian law. And why would they? The Biden Administration has been providing essentially unconditional support for Netanyahu’s government’s actions so far. Unless Biden is willing to actually cut off aid, or at least reduce it in a major way, Netanyahu has no need to worry about public scolding that is just empty PR.

It’s hard to imagine that Netanyahu takes threats like the following to be anything but empty talk. Or maybe a blatant green light for intensifying the war.

Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to call for a cutoff of funds to the Netanyahu government’s hideous war (3):




Notes:

(1) Hass, Amira (2024): If the Israeli Army Invades Rafah, What Will Be of More Than 1.5 Million Palestinians Who Take Shelter There? Haaretz 02/10/2024. (Accessed: 2024-10-02).

(2) Sarisohn. Hannah (2024): Biden gives Israel 45 days to submit report on international law violations or lose military aid. Times of Israel 02/09/2024. (Accessed: 2024-10-02).

(3) No More Money For Netanyahu. Senator Bernie Sanders YouTube channel 002/09/2024. (Accessed: 2024-10-02).