The situation in Gaza and the Middle East is rapidly deteriorating. Israeli forces are carrying out a relentless military campaign with no signs of stopping. Horrific footage and reports of atrocities flood the media: people burned alive in hospital beds in Gaza, Israeli soldiers shooting U.N. peacekeepers, and entire neighborhoods in Gaza reduced to rubble. This violence is not confined to Gaza – it’s been spreading across the region, affecting Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. The brutality is part of a broader campaign of genocide against Palestinians.
Recently, Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, but this act is unlikely to change the course of the violence. Israel has assassinated numerous Hamas leaders in the past, yet the military onslaught continues. Each assassination of a leader has brought no real pause to the killing and destruction. Israel presses on, continuing its military aggression with little regard for Arab lives.
Because of public pressure and a year of protest, the Biden administration says it wants more humanitarian aid to Gaza. Biden has also threatened to cut military funding if Israel fails to allow this aid in. But the U.S. hasn’t stopped sending destructive military support to Israel. And Biden’s ultimatum is set for after election day in the U.S., meaning Biden has no incentive to follow through on his threat.
The reality is that U.S. government support for Israel remains strong. Military aid continues to flow. Recently, the U.S. sent 100 soldiers to Israel, along with a sophisticated anti-missile system developed by Lockheed Martin, a defense contractor whose profits have soared during this war.
This unwavering support demonstrates the deep ties between the U.S. and Israel, which remain unchanged despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Even as the Biden administration gestures at pressure on Israel, the military alliance between the two countries endures. These moves are merely rhetoric, doing nothing to slow Israel’s military campaign or provide relief to those suffering in Gaza.
The situation in the Middle East is not new. U.S. foreign policy has long prioritized regional dominance and profit over human rights and the well-being of people in the region. The violence in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen is just a symptom of this larger strategy. The U.S. continues to support the militarization of Israel, benefiting U.S. defense companies and securing its own interests, while human suffering grows. The violence won’t stop as long as these priorities remain unchanged.
A new administration won’t alter the course either. Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at his Florida home in early October. The meeting took place around the same time that Israel increased its aggression toward Iran and Lebanon. Trump has made it clear that he fully supports Israel’s genocide, urging Netanyahu to “finish the job” of ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
The reality is that all politicians, no matter their individual intentions, will uphold the system of capitalism that the U.S. government serves, both at home and around the world. They will defend increasing military budgets and suppressing and repressing those who challenge their power. Working people don’t get to decide where our taxes go or whether we fund wars that benefit the rich.
But we have the power to stop this war. History shows us that when people unite, protest, and refuse to be complicit in the violence of this system – change is possible. It was public pressure that pushed the Biden administration to mention the need for humanitarian aid for Gaza. Now, we must go further. Through collective action – protests, boycotts, and sustained pressure on governments and corporations – we can challenge the system that fuels this war. We can and must demand an end to U.S. military support for Israel.
