PressureThe United States has coordinated with Israel on the aid deliveries, including by ensuring the temporary port is supplied from Cyprus and not an Arab country.But such aid delivery is more commonly associated with remote or hostile territories, not an area under control of a US partner and a top recipient of aid.Anti-war protesters lined the streets of Washington for Biden’s speech and critics of Israel, including Arab-Americans, have threatened to shun Biden in the November election in Michigan, crucial for his chances to beat Donald Trump.In a letter this week, 37 Democratic lawmakers led by Representative Joaquin Castro urged the administration to use “every tool at your disposal” to ensure US weapons are not used in a potential Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, the southern city where some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge.Merissa Khurma, director of the Middle East program at the Wilson Center, called the US military’s relief efforts “last-resort attempts” to help Palestinians.”For anyone who has been watching photos and coverage of the harrowing situation on the ground, I think this was, again, an indication that the United States will have to step in if the Israelis are not listening,” said Khurma, a former Jordanian official.
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