Biden urged to suspend weapons transfers to Israel; president to visit Baltimore after bridge collapse â live | Joe Biden
Top Democrats up pressure on Biden to change Israel policy ahead of visit to collapsed Baltimore bridge
The fallout from Israelâs killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers is continuing, with several of Joe Bidenâs top Senate allies pressuring him for a decisive change in course on supporting its invasion of Gaza. In an interview with Politico, Chris Van Hollen demanded the Biden administration suspend weapons transfers if Israel does not better protect civilians, while Elizabeth Warrencalled for the planned sale of F-15 fighter jets to the country to be canceled. Citing reports of famine in Gaza, independent senator Bernie Sanders, said yesterday âIsrael should not be getting another nickel in military aid until these policies are fundamentally changed.â The mounting opposition could further complicate Congressâs approval of military aid package for Israel, Ukraine and other US allies, which has been deadlocked for months.
The two issues will intersect this afternoon, when Biden visits the site of the collapse Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore. Van Hollen, who represents Maryland and will attend the event, says he plans to bring up his concerns over his policies towards Israel when he sees the president. Biden is expected to arrive in Baltimore at 12.30pm, and will tour the site and meet with the families of the six people killed when the collapse happened.
Hereâs what else we expect today:
Biden is reportedly planning a second attempt at student debt relief, after his initial proposal was blocked by the supreme courtâs conservatives.
Two judges in two of Donald Trumpâs indictments yesterday rejected his attempts to dismiss the cases against him. One of them was the Florida classified documents case, which still has no trial date.
The US economyadded far more jobs than expected in March, as the labor market sees surprising growth.
Key events
No mention of Israel in letter from Democratic leader Schumer on 'Senate's busy agenda'
There will be plenty to do when senators return to Washington DC next week from their two-week recess, ranging from dealing with the impeachment of homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to confirming federal judges, the Senateâs Democratic leader Chuck Schumer wrote today in a letter to lawmakers.
But one issue is conspicuously absent from Schumerâs message on the Senateâs âbusy agendaâ: any mention of Israel, or Joe Bidenâs still-pending request for $14b in military assistance to Americaâs closest Middle Eastern ally.
It was the latest sign of the evolving politics among Democrats over whether to fund Israelâs invasion of Gaza, as Biden faces a sustained campaign of protests over his administrationâs support, and outrage boils over the killing of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen earlier this week.
Schumer instead sticks to emphasizing the importance of approving aid to Ukraine, an issue around which Democrats are far more united. The Senate passed legislation authorizing aid to Kyiv, Israel and other US allies in February, but Republican House speaker Mike Johnson has yet to act on it.
Hereâs what Schumer wrote:
Off the floor, we will continue to keep pressure on the House to act on the Senate-passed national security supplemental that would provide desperately needed funding to Ukraine in their fight against Putin. The Senate bill has sat on Speaker Johnsonâs desk for more than 50 days. The longer that the national security supplemental sits on Speaker Johnsonâs desk, the more desperate the situation in Ukraine becomes.
I have spoken with Speaker Johnson, and I believe that he understands the threat of further delaying the national security supplemental. However, Speaker Johnson has to ultimately decide for himself whether or not he will do the right thing for Ukraine, for America and for democracy around the world or if heâll allow the extreme MAGA wing of his party to hand Vladimir Putin a victory.
Responding to Israelâs investigation into the killing of seven of its aid workers, World Central Kitchen said the disciplinary actions against those involved represented âimportant steps forwardâ.
But the group also warned: âWithout systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies and more grieving families.â
We have a live blog covering the latest on the war in Gaza, and you can find it here:
An Israeli military investigation has blamed senior officers for the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers earlier this week. Hereâs more on that, from the Guardianâs Peter Beaumont:
An Israeli military commission of inquiry has blamed a series of âgrave errorsâ by military personnel, including lack of coordination and misidentification, for its killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza drone strikes.
The Israel Defense Forces said they had dismissed a brigade chief of staff with the rank of colonel and a brigade fire support officer with the rank of major and issued formal reprimands to senior officers, including the general at the head of the southern command.
The findings are likely to renew scepticism over the militaryâs decision-making. Palestinians, aid groups and human rights organisations have repeatedly accused Israeli forces of firing recklessly at civilians throughout the conflict â a charge Israel denies.
Biden administration calls for Israel's expansion of aid deliveries in Gaza to be 'fully and rapidly implemented'
Facing outrage over the killing of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, Israel yesterday announced it would reopen a border crossing with Gaza and allow more aid to flow through another port.
In a statement, national security council spokesperson Adrienne Watson welcomed that step, while reiterating that Joe Biden has conditioned further support for Israelâs war effort on its protection of civilians:
We welcome the steps announced by the Israeli government tonight at the Presidentâs request following his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu. These steps, including a commitment to open the Ashdod port for the direct delivery of assistance into Gaza, to open the Erez crossing for a new route for assistance to reach north Gaza, and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan directly into Gaza, must now be fully and rapidly implemented.
Hereâs more on how the expansion of aid deliveries into Gaza will work:
Top Democrats up pressure on Biden to change Israel policy ahead of visit to collapsed Baltimore bridge
The fallout from Israelâs killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers is continuing, with several of Joe Bidenâs top Senate allies pressuring him for a decisive change in course on supporting its invasion of Gaza. In an interview with Politico, Chris Van Hollen demanded the Biden administration suspend weapons transfers if Israel does not better protect civilians, while Elizabeth Warrencalled for the planned sale of F-15 fighter jets to the country to be canceled. Citing reports of famine in Gaza, independent senator Bernie Sanders, said yesterday âIsrael should not be getting another nickel in military aid until these policies are fundamentally changed.â The mounting opposition could further complicate Congressâs approval of military aid package for Israel, Ukraine and other US allies, which has been deadlocked for months.
The two issues will intersect this afternoon, when Biden visits the site of the collapse Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore. Van Hollen, who represents Maryland and will attend the event, says he plans to bring up his concerns over his policies towards Israel when he sees the president. Biden is expected to arrive in Baltimore at 12.30pm, and will tour the site and meet with the families of the six people killed when the collapse happened.
Hereâs what else we expect today:
Biden is reportedly planning a second attempt at student debt relief, after his initial proposal was blocked by the supreme courtâs conservatives.
Two judges in two of Donald Trumpâs indictments yesterday rejected his attempts to dismiss the cases against him. One of them was the Florida classified documents case, which still has no trial date.
The US economyadded far more jobs than expected in March, as the labor market sees surprising growth.