President Joe Biden welcomed Jordan’s King Abdullah II to the White House on Monday to discuss ways to end the months-long conflict and make plans for what comes next, stating that “every innocent life lost in Gaza is a tragedy.” The meeting with Abdullah takes place when Biden and his advisors are attempting to mediate a second ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Hamas so that supplies and humanitarian help can reach the area and prisoners may be freed. Arab Americans are increasingly criticizing the White House for the administration’s continuous backing of Israel despite the fact that the number of dead in Gaza has increased since Hamas began its offensive on Israel.
Strengthening Regional Partnerships
Alongside the monarch, Biden stated that “the essential components of the agreement are on the table,” but “there are still gaps.” He declared that the United States will exert “every possible” effort to reach a settlement that would see the release of all remaining Hamas captives and a minimum six-week cessation of hostilities. A top U.S. administration official declared that a framework for a deal was virtually in place following phone calls and shuttle diplomacy. According to the official, during the past several weeks, Israeli military pressure on Hamas in Khan Younis has assisted in moving the terrorist organization closer to accepting a deal. As he brought up the predicament of the tens of thousands of people who have been killed and injured in the battle, Abdullah stated that Biden’s leadership was “key to addressing this conflict.” The king declared, “We need a lasting cease-fire now.” “We must put an end to this war.”
Addressing the Gaza Crisis
Jordan and other Arab governments have expressed strong disapproval of Israel’s conduct and have refused to publicly back long-term preparation for what comes next, claiming that combat must stop before these kinds of talks can start. When civilian deaths started to rise in mid-October, they started to demand a cease-fire. As the president, Biden’s position represents a small but significant shift from his previous opposition to an ongoing cease-fire. One of the main goals of the Israeli operation was to avoid a recurrence of the Oct. 7 onslaught, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of over 250 more. His administration has urged that Hamas not be allowed to maintain political or military authority over Gaza after the conflict.
Building on Diplomatic Momentum
Over 28,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israel’s onslaught, which has also forced over 80% of the population to flee and created a serious humanitarian situation. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, most of the dead are women and children and do not differentiate between soldiers and civilians. Israel has not offered any proof for its claims to have killed over 10,000 Hamas fighters.
Biden reiterated his demand that Israel develop preparations to protect the population in Rafah from harm before launching a full-scale attack on the final major Hamas stronghold, where more than 1.3 million people are seeking refuge. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, admitted earlier on Monday that Israel has “legitimate military targets” in Rafah, but he also insisted that the Israelis make sure their actions are intended to save the lives of innocent people. According to officials, the United States is unsure if there is a workable strategy to evacuate people from Rafah so that military operations may proceed.
Challenges and Opportunities
The Palestinian Authority, which has some authority over some areas of the West Bank, needs to “urgently reform” in order to be prepared to take over some authority in Gaza in the event that Hamas is overthrown. This is something that Biden, who has expressed hope for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, added to the conversation with the king. “They have to get ready to establish a state that is open to peace and doesn’t support terrorist organizations like Islamic Jihad and Hamas,” stated Biden. “Separation of the West Bank and Gaza cannot be accepted,” Abdullah said. Prior to the leaders’ meeting earlier on Monday, Biden and his wife Jill welcomed King Rania and Crown Prince Hussein to the White House.
In conclusion, This was the first time the allies had met since a drone attack against a U.S. outpost in Jordan last month claimed the lives of three American soldiers. Biden attributed the killings to militias supported by Iran, the first for the United States following months of attacks by these groups against American soldiers around the Middle East since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
