Biden Envoy Declares U.S. Won’t Suspend Arms to Israel, Citing Strong Alliance

A top official from the Biden administration reportedly told humanitarian aid organizations that the U.S. would not suspend arms shipments to Israel, despite concerns over the blocking of food and medical aid entering Gaza. According to a report from POLITICO, Lise Grande, the special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues, assured aid leaders at an August 29 meeting that Israel remains a key U.S. ally, and no action would be taken to limit weapons supplies over the Gaza aid situation.

In a meeting with over a dozen aid organizations, Grande emphasized that while the Biden administration would use diplomatic pressure through the United Nations to encourage Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, suspending arms sales was not on the table. According to attendees, Grande reiterated that U.S. support for Israel remains unchanged, describing Israel as part of a "tight circle of very few allies" that the administration would not penalize.

"She was saying that the rules don’t apply to Israel," said one anonymous attendee. Another participant echoed that sentiment, saying the U.S. seemed unable to take a tougher stance on Israel.

The meeting came after U.S. officials sent a letter to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, urging them to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, where aid deliveries had dropped by 50%. The U.S. gave Israel 30 days to improve the situation before considering any limitations on military assistance.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted on Wednesday that positive changes had already begun following the letter. On Tuesday, the Jordanian military delivered 50 aid trucks to Gaza, following Israel’s reopening of the northern aid route. However, Miller acknowledged that some improvements would take more time to implement, and stressed the importance of Israel taking the outlined steps.

The U.S. administration supports Israeli intelligence reports indicating that Hamas has been diverting humanitarian aid intended for civilians. Despite this, the Biden administration continues to advocate for increased aid to Gaza while balancing its strong military alliance with Israel.

As the situation evolves, the U.S. hopes diplomatic efforts will resolve the aid issue without further consequences for military aid.

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