Biden Administration Acknowledges Missteps in Communication of US Policy towards Israel’s War in Gaza

The Biden administration has faced criticism from various communities, particularly the Arab American and Muslim leaders, for its handling of the ongoing war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. In a closed-door meeting with these leaders in Michigan last week, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer acknowledged the administration’s failures and missteps in communicating its policy towards the crisis.

Finer expressed regret over several instances where the administration could have done more to express concern for Palestinian lives lost during the conflict. He specifically mentioned the failure to publicly condemn remarks made by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who called for a complete siege of Gaza and described those they were fighting as “animals in human form.” Finer acknowledged that the administration’s lack of public condemnation of such sentiments left a damaging impression on the Arab American community.

Another instance Finer regretted was the President’s statement on the 100th day of the conflict, which spoke to the plight of Israeli victims but did not mention Palestinian civilians killed by the Israeli response. Finer referred to this as a “big hole” in the administration’s messaging.

The meeting with community leaders was the first visit by Biden administration officials on this issue in the key state of Michigan since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war. The White House dispatched several senior advisors, including Tom Perez, Samantha Power, and Mazen Basrawi, to reach out to Arab and Muslim voters across the country. Michigan, with its large concentration of Arab Americans, is a critical swing state.

The Biden administration has tried various channels of outreach to the Arab American population, including through Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vice President Kamala Harris. A White House official stated that the President and Vice President have made it a priority to hear directly from and listen to Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim communities across the country on the conflict in Gaza.

Despite the administration’s efforts to reach out to these communities, some have criticized the messaging as done “in a way that puts our communities in harm.” In the days following the Oct. 7 attack, a 6-year-old boy was stabbed to death in a Chicago suburb, allegedly targeted for being a Muslim Palestinian American. The Biden administration spoke with the family of the slain child, as did Vice President Harris.

Finer also expressed the administration’s lack of confidence in the current government of Israel to take meaningful steps towards a two-state solution. However, the Biden administration has continued to back the Netanyahu government through words, weapons, and billions in aid, despite Netanyahu’s public refusals to endorse a two-state solution. The administration argues that giving the Palestinian people hope and a path for a future state is necessary to achieve peace in the region.

The shift towards contrition in the administration’s tone comes at a time when half of Americans polled by the Associated Press said that Israel’s war in Gaza has gone too far, and the US as Israel’s main weapons supplier faces backlash. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the administration does not design its policy towards Israel or Gaza based on politics but on the national security interests of the United States.

The crisis began on October 7, when Hamas militants killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped about 240 more civilians in a surprise attack on Israel. The Biden administration has argued that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas, but has expressed concern about how it wages that war. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Hamas-controlled Gaza reports that 28,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the conflict.

Margaret Brennan is the moderator of CBS News’ “Face The Nation” and CBS News’ senior foreign affairs correspondent based in Washington, D.C. This article was first published on February 11, 2024.

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