"Protect Civilians," Biden Issues Final Ultimatum to Israel

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 4th (local time) that if immediate measures to protect civilians are not implemented, the U.S. policy regarding the Gaza war will fundamentally change. This is interpreted as the U.S. effectively issuing a 'final ultimatum' to Israel following the recent vehicle bombing incident involving the international relief organization World Central Kitchen (WCK).

According to a briefing by John Kirby, National Security Communications Coordinator at the White House National Security Council (NSC), President Biden had a 30-minute phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu that day. During the call, President Biden criticized the attacks on humanitarian activists in the Gaza Strip and the overall situation as "unacceptable." He emphasized that Israel must implement concrete measures to address civilian casualties, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of relief workers, and that an immediate ceasefire is essential for this.

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Kirby stated that President Biden made it clear that future U.S. policy toward the Gaza Strip will be determined based on the evaluation of Israel's immediate humanitarian measures. He added, "The White House wants to see immediate actions such as a dramatic increase in relief supplies to Gaza and a reduction in violence against civilians and international aid organizations," and explained, "We expect Israel's initial announcement within the next few hours or days."

When asked by reporters whether this phone call was President Biden's 'final ultimatum,' Kirby responded, "The President expressed serious concerns about the direction things are heading," and "He made it clear that depending on Israel's future actions, we are willing to reconsider our policy approach." However, he declined to comment on the possibility of suspending U.S. military aid to Israel. Following the call, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a speech in Brussels, "If we do not see the changes we need to confirm, there will be changes in our policy as well."

Local media outlets such as CNN interpreted this phone call as signaling a possible shift in the U.S. policy, which has supported Israel and supplied weapons since the outbreak of the conflict. Previously, the U.S. showed subtle signs of change by abstaining rather than vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza last month, causing friction with Israel.

Furthermore, it is understood that the internal backlash within the Democratic Party's support base against President Biden's pro-Israel policy ahead of the November election has also influenced his policy direction. As the Gaza conflict prolongs and civilian casualties increase, voices of concern have grown both inside and outside the administration and Democratic leadership. First Lady Jill Biden is also reported to have urged her husband to "Stop it now," calling for an end to the Gaza conflict.

Meanwhile, President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed Iran's public threats against Israel. The White House stated that President Biden made it clear that the U.S. strongly supports Israel in the face of Iran's retaliatory threats.