Jill Biden privately urges an end to Gaza’s suffering

“Stop it now, Joe.”

These were the recent words of rebuke from Jill Biden, the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden, to her husband regarding his pro-Israel policies following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict last October. As civilian casualties in Palestine surged due to the prolonged warfare. As the resultant anti-Israel sentiments began to negatively impact her husband's reelection bid in November, she urged him to find ways to end the conflict immediately.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on Wednesday, President Biden revealed during a private White House event the previous day, attended by Muslim community leaders, that he had recently received such criticism from his wife. When one participant mentioned that his wife was hesitant about attending the White House event due to its pro-Israel leanings, President Biden said he understood and recounted his wife’s comment.

During the event, a Palestinian-American doctor who had provided medical services in the Gaza Strip after the outbreak of the conflict expressed discontent with the Biden administration and Israel and walked out. According to the AP News, just before leaving, he handed President Biden a letter written by an 8-year-old girl from Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, urging for an immediate ceasefire.

The Muslim community within the United States, traditionally a Democratic stronghold, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with President Biden following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. With recent polls, including those in key swing states, showing President Biden trailing his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, the White House is on alert.

However, despite repeated objections from the Biden administration, Israel is preparing for a ground attack on Rafah, home to 1.4 million people.

Earlier, during a video conference between the United States and Israel attended by U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, a confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Dermer vehemently argued for a ground assault on Rafah. At the time, Dermer insisted, "Once we move the residents of Rafah relatively safely to the northern part of the Gaza Strip, we will commence a ground attack in Rafah." When Secretary Blinken and Adviser Sullivan pointed out the lack of feasibility, he reportedly lost his temper, as reported by NBC News.


김보라 purple@donga.com