Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the United States is still collecting evidence and reviewing allegations that Israel violated U.S. policy and international humanitarian law in Gaza. His comments come in the wake of a much-anticipated State Department report released on Friday evening, which found it "reasonable to assess" that Israel used U.S.-made arms in ways that did not sufficiently mitigate civilian harm, although it could not definitively conclude that any specific incident met the violation threshold.
Speaking on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Blinken said, "It's reasonable to assess that in a number of instances, Israel has not acted in a manner that is consistent with international humanitarian law." These were the secretary's first public remarks on the report, which examined the use of U.S. weapons in conflict zones such as Israel and Ukraine.
The assessment on Israel has infuriated lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with Republicans and Democrats arguing that President Joe Biden is attempting to have it both ways on U.S. support for Israel in its war against Hamas. Last week, Biden paused a shipment of weapons to Israel that he said could be used by Israel to attack the densely populated city of Rafah in a manner that would cause significant civilian casualties.
Congressional Republicans appeared on Sunday to accuse Biden of undercutting Israel, particularly with his threat to withhold weapons if Israel launches a full-scale invasion of Rafah. U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, said the Israelis should be able to "prosecute" their war on Hamas as "they see fit."
Other lawmakers also weighed in on America's stance as the Israel-Hamas war continues. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said on NBC's "Meet The Press," "In my view, Israel should not be receiving another nickel in U.S. military," accusing the country of violating international law over the deaths of civilians in Gaza. In contrast, Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., also on NBC, said Israel is coping with Hamas' use of civilians as "human shields" and denounced Sanders' statement, calling on the Biden administration to help Israel in what he described as a fight for its very existence.
Blinken emphasized that while Biden continues to back Israel's ability to defend itself, the U.S. has qualms with the slow pace of humanitarian assistance deliveries and Israel's use of weapons in its war against Hamas. He noted that the war is ongoing and "this is an incredibly complex military environment," making it difficult for the U.S. to be definitive about possible violations of international law at this point.
The secretary of state also highlighted that investigations are ongoing, including one in Israel itself. According to the Gaza health ministry, nearly 35,000 Palestinians have died since Oct. 7, the day Hamas launched a massive attack against Israel and sparked the current war.
During his interview on "Face the Nation," Blinken reiterated the findings of the State Department report, stating that while the U.S. has concerns about Israel's actions in certain instances, it cannot formally conclude that they have violated international humanitarian law. He also affirmed that the U.S. does not plan to slow down any further weapons shipments to Israel, beyond the high-payload bombs that have been held up as Israel begins its incursion into Rafah.
The report's release has sparked a divide among lawmakers, with Sen. Bernie Sanders arguing that Israel has broken international and American law and should not receive further U.S. military aid, while Sen. Lindsey Graham blasted the Biden administration for considering any delay in aid shipments to Israel, claiming it emboldens Iran and Hamas.
