Biden admin carefully ramps up criticism of Israel over the Gaza war but stops short of cutting off military aid
NBCMar 05
Blinken: US 'Cannot Support a Major Military Operation in Rafah'
The Facts
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that the US "cannot support a major military operation in Rafah" due to humanitarian concerns, arguing that, even if civilians were evacuated beforehand, a "significant" amount would inevitably remain and be exposed to "terrible consequences."
Blinken continued that the US was committed to ensuring that Hamas does not control the Gaza Strip but, regarding a Rafah operation, "that’s something that we don’t support, and we believe that the objective can be achieved by other means."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly getting out of hand, and the situation must be remedied. An Israeli offensive in Rafah would only make the situation worse.
Pro-Israel narrative
In these critical times, Israel's military is diligently preparing for the possibility of an offensive into Rafah to dismantle Hamas' remaining battalions. Israel has fought a noble fight against Hamas' terror, and it seems imperative that Israel enter Rafah and finish this once and for all. However, given the complexities of the situation, Israel will calculate its next moves carefully.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Regardless of whether Israel is allowed to enter Rafah or not, the US is responsible for the atrocities Israel has inflicted upon the Palestinians of Gaza. The Biden admin., worried about domestic political pressures, wants to make it seem as if it never supported this war, when from the very beginning Israel has been dependent on the US in its campaign to destroy Gaza and starve its people.
Nerd narrative
There's a 75% chance that Israel will expand its ground invasion to the city of Rafah before June 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.