‘Enraged’ Biden Not Changing Policies After Aid Workers Killed

(AP)

President Joe Biden and his administration have no plans to change policy on Israel after an Israel Defense Forces strike killed seven World Central Kitchen workers in Gaza, even though the president was reportedly enraged privately over the actions, according to senior administration officials.

The president called publicly for “accountability,” while demanding that more assistance be allowed to go into Gaza, but that’s “all we have planned,” one of the officials, speaking under the condition of anonymity, told Politico.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. is not planning a shift in its approach to Israel.

“We are still supporting their right to defend themselves and we’re going to continue to do that,” he told reporters. “I’m not going to get ahead of decisions that haven’t been made yet.”

It’s not the first time the United States has criticized Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas, but still, Biden has resisted calls from progressives and pro-Palestinian advocates to impose restrictions on Israel, with the administration arguing that further moves would break the United States’ relationship with Israel.

“It’s just rinse and repeat with the Israelis. The American political system can’t or won’t draw a real line with them and that is regrettable,” a senior U.S. official commented.

Monday night, bombs were dropped on the World Central Kitchen convoy, hitting three vehicles that were marked with the organization’s insignia and traveling on a protected route in central Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials have apologized, but have maintained that the deadly strikes were accidental.

Israeli forces, however, hit the convoy several times even though they were informed of its movements. WCK has halted its food deliveries in Gaza after the deaths.

“Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver desperately needed help to civilians,” Biden said Tuesday night. “Incidents like yesterday’s simply should not happen. Israel has also not done enough to protect civilians.”

Kirby said Tuesday there is “no evidence” Israel intended to kill the aid workers, who were in a convoy belonging to a group led by celebrity chef José Andrés, who has several restaurants in Washington, D.C., and maintains close ties with the Biden White House.

Biden had also called Andrés to offer his sympathies after the attack, which brought a huge outcry even though about 200 aid workers have also been killed already since the war began last October.

“This hits in a different way,” a U.S. official commented. “Everyone loves José and World Central Kitchen and it just seems like a blatantly horrific and stupid mistake to do that.”