US Diplomats In Arab Countries Warn Biden Administration That US Backing Of Israel Costing Them Support In Middle East: Report

The US diplomats posted in the Arab World have warned the Joe Biden administration that the US backing of Israel in the ongoing war against Hamas is costing the nation support amongst the Arab countries in the Middle East, according to a report. 

Even as the Biden administration has called for greater supply of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and has called for pauses in attacks, it has continued to back the Israeli war against Hamas and has rejected calls for a ceasefire. It has said a ceasefire would allow Hamas to repeat October-7 like attacks by regrouping and rearming.

On October 7, Hamas and allied Palestinian groups invaded Israel as around 3,000 rockets rained across Israel. They went on a rampage across southern Israel and overran dozens of communities and military bases. Israeli authorities say at least 1,600 were killed, around 6,900 were injured, and at least 240 were abducted and taken to Gaza as hostages. In response, Israel launched aerial and artillery bombardment against Hamas leaders and facilities in Gaza. Two weeks back, Israel also launched a ground operation. While Hamas has taken a hit, widespread Palestinian casualties and damage to civilian and critical infrastructure have also been reported, with the Hamas-run Gazan authorities saying at least 10,800 have been killed, over 4,800 of them children. 

Such a Palestinian toll and destruction to the infrastructure in Gaza have led to opposition to the US backing in the Arab world, reported CNN.

Citing cables sent by US embassies in Oman and Egypt to the Washington DC, American diplomats have warned that the continued US support is "is losing us Arab publics for a generation". 

"We are losing badly on the messaging battlespace," said a cable from the US mission in Oman, as per CNN.

The CNN reported, "The robust US support for Israel’s actions is being seen, the cable warns, 'as material and moral culpability in what they consider to be possible war crimes'."

The US diplomats' warnings reflect the unease that the Arab countries have with the Israeli actions following the worst ever attack by Hamas, a designated terrorist group. Experts have said that while the Arab leaders, who run autocratic regimes, may personally not care much about the Palestinian cause, they care about the sentiment on the street and the Arab Street at the moment is up in arms against Israel. To placate the street anger and to secure their own interests, the Arab leaders are therefore applying pressure on the United States to contain the Israeli war efforts. 

Lately, President Biden, who has condemned the Hamas attack unequivocally and has stood by the Israeli right to defend itself and defeat Hamas, has also been under pressure from Democrat lawmakers, voters, and the American Left over his support to Israel. There have also been reports of divisions within the Biden administration, with a section of officials reported to be very uneasy with the official US position in the Israel-Hamas War.

"President Joe Biden has been under growing pressure domestically and abroad over US support of Israel amid images of destruction in Gaza and the dire humanitarian crisis in the region...Biden has also been confronted by the frustration growing domestically. The president was confronted by a protester calling for a ceasefire at a private fundraiser last week; pro-Palestinian protests have been a daily occurrence near the White House compound; and this week, one of the entrances near the West Wing was covered in bright-red handprints –meant to mimic blood– and words like 'genocide Joe'," reported CNN. 

The Biden administration has lately been pressing the Israeli government of carrying out war in a way that minimises collateral damage. After opening water pipelines to Gaza and allowing humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel began only a narrower and focussed ground operation after US suggestions, a watered-down version of the full-fledged invasion anticipated since the beginning of the war. Now, Israel has also accepted daily four-hour humanitarian pauses in the attacks. 

The Arab countries and those against the Israeli war against Hamas are calling for much more. They are pressing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and cessation of Israeli war efforts. Israel has, however, rejected that, saying that there would be no ceasefire until hostages are returned.