In a recent development, the United Arab Emirates submitted a resolution to the United Nations Security Council calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The United States was the only member of the 15-member Security Council to vote against the resolution. With the US being a permanent member of the Council and possessing veto power, the resolution failed to pass.
Less than a week after the US vote sparked dissatisfaction, President Joe Biden, at a fundraising event on December 12, issued his harshest criticism yet of the Israeli government. Biden warned that Israel is losing international support due to its "indiscriminate" attacks on Gaza and called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to make adjustments to his government. On the same day, Netanyahu acknowledged differences with Israel's biggest ally, the US, regarding the future of the Gaza Strip.
Apart from increased international pressure, Biden's public criticism of the Israeli government is primarily driven by considerations for the 2024 US election votes.
A recent poll by the Arab American Institute showed a dramatic decline in support for Biden among Arab American voters due to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Democratic Party, traditionally more supported by minority groups, is no longer the preferred party for Arab American voters. In swing states of the US election, the votes of Arab and Muslim voters are crucial.
US-Israel Acknowledge Differences According to The Wall Street Journal, Biden, speaking at a fundraising event in Washington on Tuesday, first affirmed Netanyahu, calling him a "good friend." He then criticized the Israeli government for making it difficult for Netanyahu to govern, suggesting that Netanyahu should make adjustments.
Biden accused the current Israeli government of being the most conservative in the country's history, with some members opposing the "two-state solution" for the Israel-Palestine issue and seeking revenge against all Palestinians, not just Hamas. This marks Biden's harshest public criticism of the Israeli government since the recent conflict.
Biden stated that Israel can rely on the US for security and still has support from the EU and other countries. However, Israel's "indiscriminate bombing" of Gaza will cause it to lose these supports.
While criticizing the Israeli government, Biden also defended Israel's right to self-defense, condemning Hamas for threatening the safety of Israel and its people.
Hours after Biden's speech, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution with an overwhelming majority calling for an immediate ceasefire between the parties in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The resolution, proposed by Arab countries, received support from 153 countries, with 23 abstentions, including the US and Israel, among the 10 countries that voted against it. Although UN General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they reflect the international community's view on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
To date, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 18,000, mostly women and children, with an additional 50,000 injured. About 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced. Israeli ground offensives have expanded to southern Gaza, and US officials revealed that Israel has begun flooding Hamas tunnels with seawater to destroy Gaza's extensive tunnel network.
Israeli Defense Minister Gantz stated this week that Israel's intense ground and air attacks in Gaza will continue for weeks, with subsequent military actions possibly lasting for months. However, multiple US officials told CNN that the US hopes Israel will shift to lower-intensity, targeted strikes against Hamas members and leaders by January next year.
US Defense Secretary Austin previously warned that if Israel does not act to prevent civilian deaths, it could exchange a tactical victory for a "strategic failure."
In addition to differences over military action plans in Gaza, the US and Israel also have divergent views on how to manage Gaza after the fighting ends.
Netanyahu's statement on Tuesday acknowledged that Israel's ground operations in Gaza have the "full support" of the US government, which has also successfully prevented the international community from stopping Israel's actions. However, Netanyahu admitted differences with the US over Gaza's future after Hamas is cleared.
The US opposes Israel's reoccupation of Gaza, proposing that the Palestinian National Authority take control of Gaza. In 2007, Hamas fought a civil war with the Palestinian National Authority and subsequently occupied the Gaza Strip, while the Palestinian National Authority controlled the West Bank.
Netanyahu's statement on Tuesday indicated he would not allow entities that "educate terrorism, support terrorism, and fund terrorism" to enter Gaza, implicitly referring to the Palestinian National Authority. Netanyahu previously stated that Israel would maintain an "open-ended security presence" in Gaza.
Israeli officials revealed that the Israeli government is considering establishing a buffer zone in Gaza, where Palestinians would be prohibited from entering. This would mean that part of Gaza would become occupied territory by Israel, further reducing Palestinian territory.
This week, US National Security Advisor Sullivan will visit Israel to discuss the timeline for military operations in Gaza and future plans for the region with Netanyahu. Next week, US Defense Secretary Austin will also visit Israel.
Arab American Voters' Dissatisfaction The US will hold presidential elections next year, with Biden likely facing off against Trump again. Recent polls show Trump's support surging, while Biden's support is declining.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Monday showed Trump's support among Republican voters rising to 61%, leaving his opponents far behind. Florida Governor DeSantis, seen as Trump's biggest rival within the party, received only 11% support from voters, tied for second with former US Ambassador to the UN Haley.
Biden's approval rating has dropped to its lowest point since taking office. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week showed that only 40% of respondents approved of Biden's performance. Economic, immigration, and crime issues are the main reasons for voters' dissatisfaction with Biden.
A Wall Street Journal survey released last weekend showed that if the election were held now, Trump would defeat Biden with 47% support. More than half of the respondents believe Trump could better address economic, inflation, and border security issues than Biden.
Although the Israel-Palestine issue is not a primary concern for most voters, it is significant for Arab American and Muslim American voters.
A poll released last week by the Arab American Institute showed a steep decline in support for Biden and the Democratic Party among Arab American voters due to the US government's stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Only 17% of Arab American voters stated they would vote for Biden in the upcoming election, a significant drop from the 59% in the 2020 election. Biden's overall approval rating among Arab American voters has plummeted from 74% in 2020 to 29% now.
Two-thirds of Arab American voters are dissatisfied with Biden's handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a similar proportion believe the US should call for a ceasefire. Discontent with the Democratic Party among Arab American voters is also rising.
In the recent survey, 32% of voters identified as Republicans, while only 23% identified as Democrats. This marks the first time in 26 years of polling by the Arab American Institute that the Democratic Party is not the preferred party for Arab American voters. As recently as April, 40% of Arab American voters identified as Democrats.
In addition to dissatisfaction with the US government's role in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Arab American voters are also concerned that the conflict could lead to increased discrimination against their community in the US. A staggering 80% of respondents fear that the Israel-Palestine conflict could trigger anti-Arab sentiment in the US.
The US has approximately 3.7 million Arab American voters. While not a large number, they can play a decisive role in key swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In the 2020 election, 64% of Muslim American voters nationwide voted for Biden, while only 35% supported Trump.
Michigan is one of the states with the highest number of Arab American and Muslim American voters. In the 2020 election, Biden defeated Trump in Michigan by a margin of 154,000 votes, with 146,000 Muslim American voters participating in the election.
Regarding next year's election, Hussam Ayloush, an official with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, described it as a choice between a "genocide accomplice" and a "racist," referring to Biden and Trump, respectively.
Ayloush stated that even if Arab American and Muslim American voters do not support Biden, it does not mean they will support Trump. When options are limited, they often support independent candidates or abstain from voting altogether. He emphasized that not participating in voting can also be impactful, especially in key swing states.
