WSJ —The U.S. is investigating several Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that killed dozens of civilians and the possible use by Israel of white phosphorus in Lebanon, as part of a probe by the State Department to determine whether America’s closest ally has misused its bombs and missiles to kill civilians, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal.
The process shows the dilemmas facing the Biden administration, which so far has ruled out putting conditions on arms transfers to pressure Israel, but faces increasing calls from some members of Congress to do so as the war wears on.
One attack the State Department is currently investigating is an Oct. 31 airstrike on the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City that killed more than 125 people, the U.S. officials said. Israel said it targeted a Hamas commander in a tunnel under a high-rise building.
Weapons investigators suspect that Israel used a 2,000-pound bomb in the strike, which could have been provided by the U.S. The United Nations Human Rights Office said the strike killed a large number of civilians and could be a war crime.
Israeli officials declined to comment on what type of weapon they used, but said they had tried to minimize civilian casualties in the Oct. 31 attack by using a delayed fuse that allowed it to detonate underground.
Israel’s massive military campaign in Gaza has left President Biden politically exposed at home, months before the presidential election. His strong support for Israel has caused a backlash among some progressive voters in key swing states who deplore the large number of civilian casualties. But any easing of this support could draw accusations from critics that he is abandoning Israel in its greatest time of need.
Israel’s bombardment in the enclave has left more than 28,000 people dead, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities. The figures don’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Israeli military declined to comment on the U.S. investigations.
Officials are carrying out the investigations as part of a new State Department process, set up last fall before the Gaza war started, that is meant to give the U.S. more tools to constrict military aid to nations if they misuse American weapons.
If investigators conclude that Israel misused American weapons, they could recommend a cutoff in the supply of military aid, suggest restrictions on their use, or propose new guidance. But State Department spokesman Matt Miller said Tuesday that the process wasn’t designed to act as a fast-moving examination that would trigger a quick shift in policy.
