Biden's words of support — and caution

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Hey readers,

Today, I'm walking you through President Biden's speech in Tel Aviv and the chaos that's unfolding in the US House of Representatives.

—Izzie Ramirez, Future Perfect deputy editor

UP FIRST

Biden in Israel

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Joe Biden staunchly supported Israel in a speech in Tel Aviv today, while also calling for restraint. Biden gave a clear warning to Israeli officials: Do not be "consumed" by rage after the Hamas attack on October 7.

"I want you to know you're not alone. We will continue to have Israel's back as you work to defend your people," Biden said. "We'll continue to work with you and partners across the region to prevent more tragedy to innocent civilians."

What Biden says matters. Israel will ultimately decide how it chooses to respond to the October 7 attack, but the United States, as the country's strongest and closest ally, has significant influence over where Israel goes from here.

Just by going to the Middle East, Biden has delayed Israel's decision to send ground forces into Gaza, a move that had seemed imminent for days, a source familiar with the administration's thinking told Jonathan Guyer, Vox's senior foreign policy reporter. "That fact alone shows that Biden may be able to cool a war that is already flaring out of control," Guyer wrote.

That said, the president's involvement in the war might also inextricably link him to the ongoing destruction of Gaza, where more than a million people have been told to flee the enclave's north. For nearly 10 days, no humanitarian aid has been able to get into Gaza. Israel cut Gaza's access to water, electricity, and fuel shortly after Hamas's attacks.

As of 1 pm ET today, at least 3,000 people in Gaza have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel, many from aerial strikes. Hamas is still holding approximately 200 people hostage and is responsible for the deaths of about 1,400 Israelis.

The lowdown: The Biden administration hopes that words of support as well as caution will show the US's willingness to hold Hamas accountable while helping to save innocent lives in Gaza. Here's what you need to know:

Gaza hasn't been able to receive humanitarian aid. Gaza has Israel to the north and east, and Egypt to the south. Both countries control Gaza's only border crossings. Egypt has been reluctant to open a humanitarian corridor for Gazans out of fear of getting further sucked into the conflict. [Vox]
Efforts to get aid through Egypt haven't met with much success — until today's speech. After some pressure from Biden, Israel said food, water, and medicine can pass from Egypt to civilians in southern Gaza, as long as the aid doesn't go to Hamas. Egypt hasn't commented yet on whether supplies will actually pass through its Rafah crossing, where emergency teams are waiting. [New York Times and Guardian]
Biden announces $100 million in humanitarian aid to those in Gaza and the West Bank. Assistance will be distributed through "trusted partners" like the United Nations and certain NGOs. [The White House]
Biden's visit comes during a moment of escalating anger after a Gaza City hospital was destroyed on October 17. Accusations flew about who was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians. Early reports indicated that it could have been an Israeli airstrike, while Israel claimed it was an errant rocket from Hamas. Now, the Israeli military claims that the deadly explosion was caused by a malfunctioning rocket fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another armed group in Gaza. The US, citing open-source information and its own intelligence, has suggested Israel is correct, though neither side's account has been independently verified.

Do you have any questions about what happens next in the war? Let us know here.

CATCH UP

Another day, another failed vote for Jim Jordan

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

I'll be real with you — this House speaker stuff is getting exhausting. The last time I wrote about the brouhaha, you might vaguely remember that Rep. Steve Scalise stepped down from the speaker race since it was pretty apparent that more than a dozen Republicans wouldn't vote for him. Now, it's Rep. Jim Jordan's turn.

ICYMI: Former speaker Kevin McCarthy avoided a government shutdown but lost his job shortly after. He was ousted by his own party, leaving a power vacuum in his wake. For those keeping track at home: Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker; Steve Scalise tried and failed to become speaker; and now Jim Jordan tried and failed to become speaker.
Jordan's bid for speaker fell short for a second time Wednesday. Despite being the GOP's nominee for speaker, he's hitting the same roadblocks Scalise did, but with a little more appetite for humiliation. He's expected to attempt another vote, with the hope that some combination of pressure and dealmaking will ease concerns from some members of his party.
We still do not have a House speaker and, therefore, the House can't function. Last time I checked, we're still barrelling toward a government shutdown: Congress has to figure something out on spending by November 17.

VERBATIM

🗣️ "It's hard to figure out which does the most good — saving one life, reducing poverty for a few, or treating mental illness for dozens — and even asking the question can feel morally icky. Yet we can't escape it if we want our money to help people as much as possible."

— Future Perfect reporter Sigal Samuel about how a growing chorus of experts and data point to happiness, not wealth or health, as a measure of well-being.

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