Secretaries of State and Defense seek concrete measures in warning to the Israeli government.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a letter to the Israeli government this week, informing Israeli officials that the U.S. may suspend military aid if the increasingly severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not addressed.
The letter stated, “We are particularly concerned that recent actions by the Israeli government… are contributing to an accelerated deterioration in the conditions in Gaza.”
The U.S. secretaries cited Section 620i of the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits the United States from providing military aid to any country preventing the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid. They also outlined steps for Israel to take to rectify the discrepancies with this law, giving them 30 days to comply.
White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby said the letter “was not meant as a threat,” but reiterated the urgency of increasing humanitarian assistance in Gaza. “It appears to us that they (the Israelis) are taking this seriously,” Spokesperson Kirby said of the letter, without elaborating.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretaries Blinken and Austin as they seek to ensure U.S. humanitarian aid is properly delivered to Palestinians.
- For wisdom for the president and his advisors as they consider the support of and leverage on Israel.
Sources: Reuters, CBS News
