For decades, American public opinion and policy on Israel has been near-monolithic. But as Israel’s bombardment and ground incursion of Gaza continues, arguments over Israel policy from inside the Democratic Party and throughout the State Department are spilling out into the open.
That, in and of itself, shows that some Americans within the establishment are processing the current war differently — and may feel more empowered than before to shape the contours of US policy.
President Joe Biden and congressional leaders have defended Israel’s military campaign to eliminate Hamas after the militant group’s October 7 attacks that killed 1,400 people and kidnapped over 200. As the death toll and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza grows, the president and his team have incrementally adjusted their public messaging, moving from a maximalist embrace of Israel after the attacks to discussing the need for a pause to allow humanitarian aid in, and hostages out. But the Biden administration, unlike the United Nations, World Health Organization, and humanitarian groups, has not advocated for an immediate ceasefire.
That has led to internal dissent and activism within the diplomatic corps and the Democratic Party apparatus, pushing for Biden to urgently adjust his approach.
On Thursday, over 500 alumni of Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign banded together to urge a ceasefire. The signatories include staffers from Biden’s 2020 campaign headquarters, the Democratic National Committee, and state staff and leadership; 21 states are represented, including key battlegrounds like Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. “As President of the United States, you have significant influence in this perilous moment,” the group, named Biden Alumni for Peace and Justice, writes in an open letter shared first exclusively with Vox. “[Y]ou must call for a ceasefire, hostage exchange, and de-escalation, and take concrete steps to address the conditions of…
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