By Ethan Mayer-Rich

Last week, Biden administration officials more vocally expressed concerns with Israel’s war on Gaza than they have in recent weeks and months, indicating that the official US narrative on the war may slowly be shifting. The week began with a series of meetings between Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz and Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, each of whom pressed him on the need for Israel to take additional measures to protect civilians in Gaza. The meetings were followed by President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address on March 7, where he told the nation that Israel “has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.”

President Biden delivered even stronger comments over the weekend in an interview with MSNBC on March 9 when he declared that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be his “red line” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden added that Netanyahu was “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” and should “pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost” in Gaza. However, he quickly and confusingly contradicted himself by saying that any changes in US rhetoric are unlikely to be reflected in policy any time soon. Biden stated that “The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line [where] I’m going to cut off all weapons so they don’t have the Iron Dome to protect them.”

Going forward, all eyes will be on the administration’s efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which so far have not succeeded. State Department and White House officials have suggested that there is a deal on the table for a six-week ceasefire, or at least a framework for one, and have placed the onus on Hamas to accept it, but negotiations remain stalled.

Also Happening in Washington…

I. Legislative Branch

1) Legislation

House Republicans Denounce Calls for Ceasefire. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) introduced H.Res.1057 on March 5 that denounces calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Co-sponsored by 18 other House Republicans, the resolution also demands an end to US funding for UNRWA, Palestinian entities, government officials, relief agencies, and NGOs, pending the completion of an investigation into their activities.

Senate Sees Bipartisan Bill to Sanction Hamas. On March 5, Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) reintroduced a bipartisan bill (S.3874) to “sanction foreign entities and governments supporting Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or affiliates.” The Senate bill is a companion legislation to a bill passed in the House in November.

Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill to Allow US Citizens to Sue International Organizations. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) led a group of 7 Republicans in introducing S.3872 on March 5. In a statement, Cruz announced that “the bill would allow American victims of terrorism to sue international organizations that support those terrorists, such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provided resources to Hamas terrorists ahead of the horrific October 7th attack on Israel.”

Sen. Cotton Introduces Bills Targeting Protests and Demonstrations. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced three bills that target pro-Palestine demonstrations and protests that have increased around the country. S.3887, the “Stop Pro-Terrorist Riots Now Act,” would increase the punishments for “rioting” in response to “Radical, pro-Hamas mobs committing crimes.” Cotton also introduced S.3890 and S.3894. The first bill would “prohibit the granting or renewing of security clearances to a person who has expressed support for a foreign terrorist organization, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” or any similar groups; the latter would write into law a prohibition on certain military members from participating in certain off-post demonstrations. Both bills are a response to the actions of US airman, Aaron Bushnell, who self-immolated outside the Israeli embassy in Washington on February 25.

2) Personnel and Correspondence

Chairman of HFAC Calls on Biden Admin to Intervene in ICJ Case Brought Against Israel. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Chairman Michael McCaul wrote to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting that the United States formally intervene in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case brought against Israel by South Africa. The letter states that the United States must demonstrate “that Israel’s actions in defending itself against Hamas plainly are not genocide” and that “the suggestion that Israel has carried out genocidal acts is an affront to international justice.”

Group of Republicans Write to ICRC Regarding Director Appointment. Led by Senator James Risch (R-ID), sixteen senators wrote to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) requesting that the organization reconsider its appointment of Pierre Krahenbuhl as Director General. Krahenbuhl formerly served as the head of UNRWA, and the letter cites “allegations of mismanagement, ethical misconduct, and abuse of authority” at the agency under his tenure.

Group of House Democrats Appeals to Prevent Israeli Invasion of Rafah. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) led 34 other House Democrats in a letter to the Biden administration about the humanitarian risk of an Israeli military ground invasion of Rafah. The letter also expresses the opinion that such an invasion would likely contravene the principles established by the White House’s February 8 National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20) on Safeguards and Accountability with Respect to Transferred Defense Articles and Defense Services.

Members of Congress Urge Biden to Use Leverage with Israel. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA) and William Keating (D-MA) “led 60 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden, urging him to use diplomatic leverage to pursue a stop to the violence” and disregard for civilian well-being in Gaza, “outline a clear and fair plan for a Palestinian state, and exercise oversight over arms and materials purchased by Israel with US assistance.” The letter’s sentiments were echoed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Peter Welch (D-VT), both of whom voiced criticism of the Biden administration’s failure to “use the leverage it has to date.” “I don’t know how many more kids have to starve before we use all the levers of our influence here, but they really need to do more,” Van Hollen told reporters, while Welch asked the Senate floor “How many more homes and shops and schools and child-care centers and hospitals must be destroyed before we say to Prime Minister Netanyahu: Enough?”

3) Hearings and Briefings

SFRC Holds Hearing on Global Food Security. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on global food security. Featuring testimonies from USAID and State Department officials, the hearing focused only sparingly on the crisis in Gaza, with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) using the opportunity to highlight the severity of the situation.

II. Executive Branch

1) White House

White House Holds Meeting with SRSG on Sexual Violence. On Friday, senior White House officials held a meeting with UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten. The meeting addressed findings from the SRSG’s recent mission to Israel and the occupied West Bank and subsequent report. The meeting followed an earlier letter from House Democrats to the White House that welcomed the report’s conclusions that there is “clear and convincing information” that some hostages have been “subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence.”

2) Department of State

Deputy National Security Advisor Attends Cyber Summit in Amman. Jordan hosted the second US-Jordan Cyber and Digital Dialogue March 4. The annual dialogue works to “enhance cooperation on cybersecurity and information and communications technology (ICT) policy,” and this year’s dialogue focused on efforts to strengthen collaborative efforts to promote “responsible state behavior in cyberspace.”

Secretary Blinken Meets with Qatari PM Al Thani. On March 5, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for the sixth US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue. They discussed the situation in Gaza, including “efforts to secure the release of hostages,” ceasefire talks, and the expansion of humanitarian assistance to civilians. The Secretary and Prime Minister also discussed planning for a pathway to a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel. Additionally, the Dialogue addressed issues relating to bilateral cooperation on global issues, economic and commercial relations, counterterrorism, defense cooperation, education and cultural exchange, labor and human rights, and emerging technology, among other topics. During his visit, Al Thani also met with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Secretary Blinken Speaks with Regional Officials. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman al-Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The secretary’s meetings focused on the situation in Gaza, including ceasefire talks, humanitarian operations, and the post-conflict phase. The issues of Red Sea security and the situation in Sudan were also addressed.

US Representatives Threaten Iran with Further Action at IAEA Meeting. At a quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on March 7, representatives from the United States told Iranian representatives to cooperate with IAEA inspectors but did not go as far as to seek a resolution against Iran at the meeting. The Iranians have been accused of “stonewalling” the agency in its efforts to investigate the “origin of uranium particles at undeclared sites” in Iran.

Turkish and American Diplomats Meet at State Department. On March 7, senior US and Turkish diplomats began a series of talks at the State Department under the auspices of the US-Turkey Strategic Mechanism to discuss bilateral cooperation regarding Syria, the South Caucasus, and regional security issues in the Middle East, in addition to enhancing trade and investment between the two countries.

Special Envoy for Sudan Attends Talks in Africa and Middle East. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello will begin his trip to Africa and the Middle East on March 11 as the Biden administration looks to negotiate an end to the conflict in Sudan, address humanitarian needs on the ground, and chart a path toward stable governance. During his trip, Perriello will meet with Sudanese civilians, civil society, grassroots organizations, and key regional and multilateral partners.

3) Department of Defense

CENTCOM Conducts Additional Airdrops in Gaza and Begins Plans for Maritime Corridor. With assistance from the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces, CENTCOM conducted additional airdrops of humanitarian assistance in northern Gaza on Tuesday and Thursday, and over the weekend. On March 10, the DoD dispatched a ship to begin construction of a temporary pier off of Gaza to provide humanitarian assistance by sea. The ship is part of an emergency mission to deliver more humanitarian assistance to Gaza via the Mediterranean Sea, developed in coordination with officials from the European Commission, Israel, Cyprus, the UAE, and the United Kingdom.

US-led Coalition Continues Operations in Red Sea. After a week of continued exchanges with Yemen’s Houthis, US and coalition forces in the Red Sea conducted “self-defense” strikes against Houthi targets on March 8 and downed at least 28 uncrewed aerial vehicles on March 9.

Secretary Austin Speaks with Kuwaiti Defense Minister. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with the Kuwaiti Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Interior, Fahad Youssef Al-Sabah. The officials discussed the bilateral defense partnership between the United States and Kuwait, and Secretary Austin thanked Kuwait for its hospitality in hosting US forces and role in working to achieve regional stability and security.

United States and Oman Hold Joint Military Commission. On March 5 and 6, the United States and the Sultanate of Oman held the US-Oman Joint Military Commission (JMC) in Muscat, Oman. US and Omani delegations conferred on a range of security issues, including maritime and border security threats as well as deterring threats from actors seeking to exploit regional tensions. The US participants also briefed on developments in the Israel-Gaza war and US-led efforts to address security threats in the Red Sea. Both sides agreed on the importance of strengthening the bilateral “security partnership through joint training, exercises, and working together to expand cooperation to address shared threats.”

Secretary Austin Speaks with Israeli Minister of Defense. On March 7, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant regarding ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza. The secretary emphasized the urgent need to open more humanitarian corridors for the delivery of humanitarian aid. The pair also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza.

4) Department of the Treasury

 Treasury Announces Sanctions Targeting Houthi Revenue Sources. On March 6, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced additional sanctions targeting two ship owners and two vessels for their role in shipping commodities on behalf of Sa’id al-Jamal, “an Iran-based, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force-backed Houthi financial facilitator.”

Treasury Officials Push Lebanon to Curb Funding to Hamas. It was reported that senior Treasury officials had visited Beirut to press Lebanese authorities to prevent funds from being funneled to Hamas by way of Lebanon. The officials reportedly also expressed concerns about the movement of funds from Iran.

5) United States Agency for International Development

USAID Administrator Power Holds Key Meetings on Sudan. USAID Administrator Samantha Power spoke with the Commanding General of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on March 5 regarding the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and expressed concern regarding the SAF’s blocking of humanitarian aid from reaching the Darfur region. Power emphasized the need to guarantee humanitarian access to Darfur and other regions of Sudan to deliver life-saving assistance. She also met with Amy Pope, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and spoke with UN Envoy for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra on March 6 about efforts to end the fighting in Sudan and accelerate the flow of humanitarian assistance into the country.

USAID Administrator Power Meets with Israel’s Ambassador to the United States. Administrator Samantha Power met with Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog on March 6. She stressed that Israel needs to do more to allow for humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, stating that the recent humanitarian air drops are not sufficient and that more land routes need to be opened.