WASHINGTON (CN) — After months of blistering criticism, President Joe Biden has signaled to Israel he might change U.S. policy without a significant improvement to its handling of the war in Gaza.
Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a 30-minute call on Thursday, their first conversation since the president was “outraged” at the death of seven World Central Kitchen workers, including one dual citizenship American, who were killed by Israeli airstrikes this week.
“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a readout of the call. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”
It’s the first time Biden has signaled a willingness to change the U.S.-Israel policy since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that kicked off the latest fighting. He’s faced mounting protests and calls for a cease-fire as the Palestinian death toll has soared past 30,000, but has resisted and continued to send billions in aid to Israel.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has grown increasingly dire, with U.S. officials warning that parts of it are on the brink of famine. The U.S. has been airdropping aid for more than a month and plans to build a temporary pier to facilitate the delivery of aid from the sea because Israel hasn’t allowed enough humanitarian assistance to enter over land to meet the massive needs.
This is the fifth conflict in Gaza since Hamas rose to power in 2005. The previous four had a combined civilian death toll of roughly 3,700. The current conflict has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Israel must reduce violence against civilians and aid workers and allow a “dramatic increase” in the flow of humanitarian assistance.
“If we don’t see changes from their side, there will have to be changes from our side,” he told reporters Thursday afternoon.
The White House declined to elaborate on what a change in U.S. policy might look like. Kirby said officials want to see announcements and actions “in coming hours and days.”
Biden’s warning is the latest sign of a fracturing relationship between the U.S. and Israel over the war in Gaza. Most recently, Washington has been pushing Israel to abandon plans for a major ground offensive in Rafah, where more than 1.5 million refugees have fled the conflict. Israel agreed to send a delegation to Washington last month to discuss the plan, but canceled after the U.S. didn’t veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire. Israel eventually acquiesced to a virtual meeting and plans to send a delegation next week.
The call was scheduled because of the death of the World Central Kitchen workers. Kirby said there’s “growing frustration” with Israel’s obstinance, but Washington will still fundamentally support Israel.
“Our support is ironclad and consistent,” he said. “It’s not going to stop. It’s not going to waver. But will there perhaps be some policy changes we have to make if we don’t see policy changes out of Israel? Yes.”
The call focused on humanitarian aid and the impact on civilians, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noting more than 200 aid workers have been killed.
“That needs to stop,” she said.
Jean-Pierre said the call was a “direct conversation,” but would not characterize it as an ultimatum.
Biden was joined on the call by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken, who is at a NATO summit in Belgium, told reporters Thursday that the level of aid entering Gaza is “woefully insufficient” and “unacceptable.” He also declined to offer what specific changes to policy could be under consideration.
“If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there will be changes in our own policy,” he said.
Netanyahu had not made a statement about the call as of Thursday afternoon.
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