Biden's Gaza support enabled Netanyahu's war expansion, former officials say

Former U.S. officials believe President Biden's unwavering support for Israel allowed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to escalate the conflict in Gaza and the wider region, according to a New Yorker investigation. Some officials now see the confrontation with Iran as a direct consequence of the Gaza war.

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We were all shocked at how aggressive and deadly it was, and asking, 'What the f**k are they doing?'

Brett McGurk, Biden's former White House coordinator for the Middle East, argued that steadfast support for Israel would help contain Iran and cautioned against any public "daylight" between the allies. However, Philip Gordon, former national security adviser to Kamala Harris, told the New Yorker that Washington's unconditional backing created a "moral hazard," enabling Netanyahu to expand the conflict.

Within the administration, officials were reportedly stunned by the ferocity of Israel's initial air campaign in Gaza. While the IDF stated it operated within international law, some officials questioned the intensity of the strikes and their compatibility with minimizing civilian harm. The New York Times previously reported that Israel revised its rules of engagement to allow mid-level officers to approve strikes risking up to 20 civilian deaths to eliminate a Hamas operative.

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moral hazard

Despite reports suggesting a carte-blanche strategy, the IDF views the New York Times's portrayal as inaccurate, stating that any ratios mentioned are minimal parameters for different-ranked officials to sign off on certain strikes, not final approval. Officials questioned whether entire neighborhoods were being destroyed without sufficient distinction between military and civilian targets. "We were all shocked at how aggressive and deadly it was, and asking, 'What the f**k are they doing?'" one senior State Department official told the New Yorker.

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daylight