More than 30,000 Palestinians have so far been killed in Israel’s full-blown campaign of genocide against Gaza since October 7th 2023. This war, like all other Israeli actions, has received full support from the United States.
But the extent of US support for this particular war has been consequential in the death and destruction caused, which has been horrendous.
The US support for Israel’s bloodshed has been so unconditional that it has prompted the closest allies of Washington and Tel Aviv to speak up and urge an end to the American administration’s blind backing of the Israeli regime.
The United States is as liable for the genocide in Gaza as Israel is. The United States has been using its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to protect the Israelis.
Consequently, the Israeli killing machine has been able to keep running unhindered despite its atrocious actions, resulting in an incredibly high civilian death toll.
The US first vetoed a draft Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in October last year. The Brazilian drafted text was killed on October 18th, and with it any hope that the mass murdering of the Palestinians would stop.
The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, said that the veto was because the draft did not mention what she called ‘Israel’s right to self defense’. At the time, over 3,000 Palestinians had already been killed.
Then on December 2023, Washington rejected another Security Council resolution aiming to mandate a ceasefire in Gaza.
Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said that the text was rushed and ignored US demands The Palestinian death toll at the time was 17,400.
The third US rejection of a ceasefire came on February 20th when Thomas Greenfield bizarrely claimed any ceasefire would jeopardize US negotiations with the warring sides.
The Palestinian death toll kept mounting as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continued to worsen.
The US stonewalling at the Security Council came even as votes at the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly called for a ceasefire.
While resolutions agreed at the General Assembly are non-binding, they do carry much political weight and reflect the international community’s real stance on the Israeli war.
But the United States’ callous posture and utter disregard for civilian loss of life have not been limited to vetoes at the Security Council.
US officials have gone on numerous trips to Tel Aviv to show support for the regime.
US President Joe Biden went on a visit to Israel at the onset of the war in a dramatic show of support for Tel Aviv in October last year.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also visited Tel Aviv several times since the war started.
The US support for the war has not merely been limited to those vetoes and official visits; the United States has been replenishing the Israeli arsenal, which would have been totally depleted days into the war given the intensity of the bombardments and other military operations in the densely-populated Gaza Strip.
US-made military hardware has been flowing into Israel, everything from ammunition for small arms to missiles, land vehicles and aircraft.
While it is true that Israeli forces are involved in Gaza, they are essentially fighting an otherwise American war.
As the war continues, a case of genocide against Israel is also proceeding at the United Nations International Court of Justice, which is also referred to as the World Court.
The final verdict will probably take several years. But the fact that South Africa has filed a motion at the ICJ and is effectively prosecuting Israel shows how the international community is thirsty for justice.
