The United States will “pull the plug” on its support for Israel’s war effort against Hamas in Gaza if it doesn’t achieve its goals by the end of the year, an expert claims.
Nader Hashemi, an associate professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics, says without Washington’s support, Israel would be forced to withdraw.
“International pressure is growing on the United States, which is strongly backing Israel right now, this horror show can continue into the new year,” the expert at Georgetown University, Washington DC told Daily Express US.
“I would say probably until the end of this calendar year. If Israel hasn’t achieved its goals, then I suspect the United States is going to pull the plug on this operation and force Israel to accept a ceasefire.”
Israel launched an invasion of northern Gaza following a wave of terrorist attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7 which saw 1,200 killed and hundreds taken hostage.
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The IDF launched a bombardment, then a ground invasion of the region in response, vowing to crush the terror group.
According to Gaza authorities, 18,000 Palestinians have been killed, with over 80 percent of the 2.3 million population forced to flee their homes.
Hashemi believes we are still headed for a “crisis moment,” due to the appalling humanitarian conditions the Gazan population faces.
“All the reports are now that the biggest problem is less the indiscriminate bombing from Israel, and more the spread of communicable diseases like hepatitis, meningitis, bloody diarrhoea,” he said.
“That’s the big problem right now, there’s no functioning healthcare system. The UN also is reporting that starvation has set in. Moreover, many people are still left under the rubble.”
Such is the plight of the civilian population in the blockaded enclave that the UN Secretary General took the rare step on December 8 of forcing a vote on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza at the UN Security Council.
But the resolution, which was put forward by the United Arab Emirates and backed by more than 90 Member States at a meeting in New York City, was vetoed by the US.
Thirteen council members voted in favor, with the UK abstaining.
The US Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Robert A. Wood, told the council the United States voted against an “imbalanced resolution that was divorced from reality that would not move the needle forward on the ground in any concrete way.”
On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly voted in favour of a non-binding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
In total, 153 of the 193 member states in the assembly voted in favor, with 10 including the US and Israel against, and 23 abstentions.
Though they are non-binding, analysts say resolutions of this kind are regarded as a powerful measure of international opinion.
Discussing how Israel would be impacted by the US calling for an end to the operation, Hashemi explained: “The way that it would work is that the United States would send a signal to Israel that they have to accept a ceasefire, leaving next steps to be determined.
“I suspect most people realise that there has to be some sort of political plan on the table for a future of the Israel-Palestine conflict, a real peace process, which I don’t think the Biden administration is really committed to at this moment.
“Given the enormity of this crisis, the US will have to go through the motions to show its allies in the Arab world, who are very upset, that at least there’s some sort of bigger vision here.”
Hashemi believes that given Israel’s reliance on US arms, by cutting off weapon supplies, this would be enough to force Tel Aviv to stand down.
He said: “I’ve been hearing from contacts that if the United States just stopped rearming Israel, they couldn’t prosecute the war in the same way that they’re doing right now, because they’ve run out of weapons.”
His comments come after it was revealed the Biden administration bypassed Congress to supply 13,981 tank shells to Israel.
It brought further pressure on the White House over its continued backing of Israel’s invasion.
Asked why the move was taken without Congressional approval, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “When it comes to the weapons that we transfer, there are rules that go along with them.
“Those rules apply to Israel, as they do to any other country, including the way they’re used and the need, the imperative of respecting international humanitarian law.”
