12/19/2023–|Last updated: 12/19/202307:02 PM (Mecca time)
A group of veterans in the US Congress urged US President Joe Biden to use all US influence to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change the military strategy that is killing thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Six lawmakers – all Democratic representatives – said in an open letter to Biden that the increasing number of civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis are unacceptable and not consistent with American interests, nor do they contribute to preserving the security of our ally Israel.
The representatives continued in their letter, which was reported by the Associated Press: “Some of us have spent years in America’s war on terrorism, and we know from personal and often painful experience that you cannot destroy a terrorist ideology with military force alone.”
The six representatives are Jason Crow, a Bronze Star winner and former Army Ranger, Mickey Sherrill, a former Navy pilot, Chrissy Holahan, a former Air Force officer, Seth Moulton, a former Marine, and Elissa Slotkin and Abigail Spanberger, former CIA officers.
The letter reveals part of the pressure exerted by representatives from Biden’s party in the Armed Forces, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs committees in Congress, in order to restrain Netanyahu to curb and stop his air and ground war on the Gaza Strip.
A more targeted approach
Not far from the American position, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Tuesday urged Israel to follow what he described as a “more targeted approach” in its war in the Gaza Strip.
“What we ask of Israel is to acknowledge that it must limit civilian casualties and respect international humanitarian law at all times, and to move forward with its campaign against Hamas taking these two matters into account,” Cameron said in Rome after meeting with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Taiani, to reporters.
Despite the many criticisms that Israel faces, even from its closest allies, the occupation army insists on targeting vital facilities, civilian facilities, and hospitals. This resulted in tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded among Palestinian civilians.
Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, the Biden administration has provided Tel Aviv with the strongest possible military and diplomatic support, and used its veto in the UN Security Council to prevent the issuance of a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire.
For the 74th day in a row, the Israeli army is waging a devastating war on Gaza that, as of yesterday, Monday, has left 19,453 martyrs and 52,286 wounded, most of them children and women, in addition to massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to Palestinian and UN sources.