Hezbollah and Israel Are on the Brink of War...And the Biden White House Is Silent
TownhallJUL 27 2024
The Facts
OVERVIEW: On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas — an Iran-backed Islamist organization that took control of Gaza in 2006 and is designated a terrorist organization by the US — attacked Israel, killing 1.2K, injuring 6.9K, and taking 250 hostages, including 10 Americans. In response, Pres. Joe Biden reaffirmed US support for Israel. His administration has authorized $100M in humanitarian aid for Palestinians, while Congress has passed at least $12.5B in military aid for Israel since the war began. The US has pledged to help negotiate a hostage release, and has proposed a three-phase roadmap to peace.
CURRENT STATE: Casualties in Gaza have reached over 40K deaths and 92K wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with a UN-estimated 1.9M of Gaza's 2.1M people internally displaced. In addition to Israel's offensive in Gaza, the conflict has also escalated with the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi rebels.
GAZA AS AN ELECTION ISSUE: According to Gallup, Americans' views on Israel's military actions in Gaza have shifted since the beginning of the war, with approval dropping from 50% in November 2023 to 42% by June 2024. Divided by party affiliation, 76% of Republicans, 23% of Democrats, and 34% of Independents approved of US actions in June. Pro-Palestine protests sparked by the war have also generated significant controversy, particularly on college campuses — which have included widely publicized clashes between demonstrators and police.