The corrosive impact of unconditional US support for Israel

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     October 18, 2023 The people of Gaza, already in utter crisis as clean water and electricity vanish, are reeling from the catastrophic explosion at a Gazan hospital that killed hundreds on Tuesday. Countless Israelis remain anguished over loved ones who have been killed or taken hostage by Hamas since October 7. It's against this horrifying backdrop that President Biden arrived in Israel today, where he reaffirmed unwavering support for Israel while urging the country not to be "[consumed by rage](." The US has since [announced]( $100 million in aid to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank; Biden said Israel has agreed to allow some aid to reach Gaza. These are some of the takeaways from Biden's visit so far. To grapple with the moral complexities of the moment and the broader historical context of Biden's visit, check out this conversation [my colleague Noah Lanard had with Daniel Levy](, a former Israeli peace negotiator who went viral last week after slamming a BBC anchor's framing that the Israeli government's response has been "legitimate." Their discussion on the corrosive impacts of the US's unconditional support for the Israeli government is wholly worth your time today. [This one point made by Levy in particular is staying with me:]( If you want to take seriously the idea that no one who is a civilian should be targeted without distinction, then you cannot be indifferent to something that is premeditated in targeting civilians in Gaza. There’s an argument that says: Hamas started this, Hamas embeds itself amongst the population, so anything that happens to the Palestinians of Gaza will be laid at Hamas’ door. You cannot cut off water, food, fuel, electricity, medical supplies, humanitarian systems, bomb pretty much indiscriminately, force the relocation of half the civilians in Gaza and say that’s OK. It’s patently not. So, what can be done on a diplomatic front? How does the US deal with the disaster that is Benjamin Netanyahu? Well, [David Corn has some reading for the Biden administration:]( After all of Netanyahu’s failures and miscalculations, who wants to bet on him now? He deserves no blank check...How far will Biden go to rein in Netanyahu? The appalling images coming out of Gaza before the expected ground assault are not reassuring on this front. As I write this, Biden is in Israel huddling with Netanyahu. This strikes me as a mistake that could possibly be viewed as a vote of confidence in Netanyahu and that could tie the United States further to the devastation underway in Gaza. The Biden administration cannot defer to Netanyahu. As Israel’s number-one underwriter—to the tune of $3.9 billion a year—it has leverage, and it ought to use it to prevent further Netanyahu miscalculation and more brutality in Gaza. This man cannot be trusted—especially not to lead a military action with possible consequences for the entire planet. —Inae Oh Advertisement [Project on Government Oversight]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Biden Cannot Give Netanyahu a Blank Check]( "This man cannot be trusted—especially not to lead a military action with possible consequences for the entire planet." BY DAVID CORN SPONSORED CONTENT FROM PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT   The Supreme Court is long overdue for a code of ethics. For years, Supreme Court justices have taken actions that left the public questioning their impartiality. That must stop now. The Supreme Court must adopt a code of ethics and restore faith in the court. [Join the Project On Government Oversight’s fight for accountability and sign our petition.]( [Trending] [The corrosive impact of unconditional US support for Israel]( BY NOAH LANARD   [Win or lose, Jim Jordan reveals what Republicans (don't) care about]( BY DAN FRIEDMAN   [The Karens policing Black kids' hair aren't here to help]( BY ARIANNA COGHILL   [An Israeli journalist on the Hamas attack and the "unfathomable and criminal" crisis in Gaza]( BY NOAH LANARD Advertisement [Project on Government Oversight]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [The Biden administration is still looking for migrant families separated under Trump]( Roughly 1,000 children have yet to be reunited with their parents. Why is it taking so long? BY NINA WANG [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755