I am a longtime Democratic Party activist who ran for the Virginia Senate last year in the 5th District . I'm eager to tout President Biden's legislative achievements on infrastructure and climate. But I'm bracing myself for defending the administration's ineffectual and morally unacceptable response to the genocide in Gaza. The White House must use all of its leverage with the Israeli government to stop the military campaign in Gaza and ensure an immediate ceasefire and hostage exchange.
The deaths and suffering of so many thousands of innocent people is soul-crushing, all-the-more because U.S. military aid is what has allowed the Israeli military to inflict what now clearly amounts to genocide. Unless the White House stands up for what is right to end these war crimes, not only will the U.S. be on the wrong side of history; I believe we will lose campaign volunteers and voters who will turn away from such cynical politics. As President Biden said in the State of the Union, "Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are among the oldest of ideas. But you can't lead America with ideas that only take us back." Likewise, the administration must point its allies down a path that leads forward, not back — and at a time of such urgency, it must do so forcefully. Oct. 7 was inexcusable, no matter how some try to paint it as resistance to a brutal apartheid regime. But the Israeli response is also inexcusable.
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What's different now is that the U.S. has influence with the Israelis. To quote the president again: "History is watching." The administration must ensure an immediate cease-fire. It must end military aid to Israel, resuming it only upon certain conditions. Without significant and meaningful action on Israel, the administration's supporters will be knocking on doors with broken hearts … and that's not how you win campaigns. The president cannot be lulled by the comfort of past policies that are insufficient for the moment. He must take the difficult steps to confront a long-time ally and push them to do what is right. He must give us a reason to fight for him.
Robert Beckman, Blacksburg