Biden Envoy Informs Aid Groups That Israel is Too Close an Ally for the U.S. to Halt Arms Sales
Participants of the late August meeting with Lise Grande noted that her comments were unexpectedly forthright, leaving many in attendance taken aback.
TroibNews 
During an August meeting with aid organizations, Lise Grande, the top U.S. official focused on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, informed attendees that the U.S. would not consider withholding weapons from Israel as a response to the blockade of food and medicine into the region. This statement marked a rare moment of transparency from the administration.
At the meeting on August 29 in Washington, Grande conveyed to over a dozen leaders of aid groups that while the U.S. might explore different strategies, such as exerting pressure through the United Nations to persuade Israel to enable life-saving aid to enter Gaza, the administration's commitment to support Israel would not waver, and that it would neither delay nor restrict weapons shipments.
This account is based on insights from three participants at the meeting and two additional individuals who received briefings afterwards, along with detailed notes from the event, which were reviewed by PMG. The individuals were granted anonymity to share their views on Grande’s insights without jeopardizing their organizations’ operations in Gaza.
One humanitarian aid official present noted that Grande mentioned Israel is a part of a “tight circle of very few allies” that the U.S. will not oppose, nor will it “hold anything back that they want.” According to this official, “She was sort of saying, with certain allies, we can’t play bad cop.”
Grande's remarks, although made over a month ago, raise concerns about the seriousness of recent threats by the Biden administration to take action regarding U.S. weapon shipments to Israel.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israel warning that the U.S. could withhold arms if Israel does not significantly improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, allowing a 30-day window for compliance.
When reporters inquired about the inclusion of the grace period in the ultimatum, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated: “We believe it’s appropriate to give them a chance to cure the problem.”
An Israeli official indicated that the country is taking the letter seriously and plans to discuss the concerns mentioned in it with U.S. representatives.
However, the claims from the August meeting have led many aid organizations to remain doubtful about any forthcoming action. In the extensive meeting, aid representatives expressed their concerns about Israel's obstruction of access in Gaza and argued against the U.S. decision to continue unrestricted weapons shipments, contending that Israel was breaching international humanitarian law, which generally prohibits nations from impeding humanitarian aid and the movement of aid workers in conflict areas.
“She was saying that the rules don’t apply to Israel,” recounted one participant.
Attendees characterized Grande's statements as alarmingly straightforward and refreshingly candid, catching many off guard.
The U.S. has yet to make an official determination on whether Israel is in violation of international humanitarian law. A May State Department report suggested it is “reasonable to assess” that Israel is contravening these laws in Gaza, but it fell short of a definitive conclusion.
Neither the State Department nor the National Security Council provided comments regarding the August meeting or its interpretations by the aid organizations. Additionally, the Israeli embassy did not respond to requests for comments concerning their actions related to aid in Gaza.
Several attendees expressed that Grande was not voicing her personal views but was rather articulating U.S. policy toward Israel.
Grande, who has extensive experience in humanitarian work and was previously the CEO of the U.S. Institute of Peace, became the special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues in April.
Support for Grande was echoed by several who spoke with PMG, with one humanitarian official noting, “It’s unfortunate she is the person representing this duplicity in American policy when she’s not the one responsible for it. Lise has been a breath of fresh air and supported humanitarian professionals in the U.S. government to get the senior folks to understand the importance of ongoing humanitarian access priorities” in Gaza.
This meeting with Grande followed her return from the region amid increasing skepticism from the Biden administration about the likelihood of a cease-fire in Gaza, where conflicts with Hamas militants have been ongoing since last October.
Some leaders of the aid groups expressed feeling as though they had exhausted all efforts to devise creative solutions for increasing aid to the enclave, with those solutions having been ineffective. Others mentioned they were contemplating withdrawing from Gaza due to escalating concerns for the safety of their staff.
Grande remarked that if aid organizations opted to withdraw, Israel had plans to utilize the commercial sector to deliver aid and that neighboring countries would assist in coordination.
Aid groups contend that Israel is obstructing their ability to use alternative trucking routes in Gaza—routes that would circumvent areas known for gang activity, which is associated with theft of food and medical supplies.
According to the detailed notes from the meeting, Grande informed attendees that Israel had shared intelligence with the U.S. suggesting Hamas was pilfering some aid and using it to bolster its forces, an assessment in which the administration has faith.
Grande also explained that international organizations functioning under COGAT, Israel’s agency for overseeing aid distribution in Gaza, would encounter significant obstacles in altering their operations on the ground. Notably, Grande described COGAT as a “mailbox” for the IDF, receiving instructions from various branches including the IDF, the war cabinet, and Israeli intelligence.
Efforts by the U.S. to transition the oversight of international aid work in Gaza from COGAT to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain unclear.
A COGAT spokesperson declined to comment, while a State Department official, speaking anonymously to convey the administration’s perspective, stated that COGAT and the IDF are “vital partners” and “integral to the success of humanitarian efforts.”
Anna Muller for TROIB News
At the meeting on August 29 in Washington, Grande conveyed to over a dozen leaders of aid groups that while the U.S. might explore different strategies, such as exerting pressure through the United Nations to persuade Israel to enable life-saving aid to enter Gaza, the administration's commitment to support Israel would not waver, and that it would neither delay nor restrict weapons shipments.
This account is based on insights from three participants at the meeting and two additional individuals who received briefings afterwards, along with detailed notes from the event, which were reviewed by PMG. The individuals were granted anonymity to share their views on Grande’s insights without jeopardizing their organizations’ operations in Gaza.
One humanitarian aid official present noted that Grande mentioned Israel is a part of a “tight circle of very few allies” that the U.S. will not oppose, nor will it “hold anything back that they want.” According to this official, “She was sort of saying, with certain allies, we can’t play bad cop.”
Grande's remarks, although made over a month ago, raise concerns about the seriousness of recent threats by the Biden administration to take action regarding U.S. weapon shipments to Israel.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a letter to Israel warning that the U.S. could withhold arms if Israel does not significantly improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, allowing a 30-day window for compliance.
When reporters inquired about the inclusion of the grace period in the ultimatum, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated: “We believe it’s appropriate to give them a chance to cure the problem.”
An Israeli official indicated that the country is taking the letter seriously and plans to discuss the concerns mentioned in it with U.S. representatives.
However, the claims from the August meeting have led many aid organizations to remain doubtful about any forthcoming action. In the extensive meeting, aid representatives expressed their concerns about Israel's obstruction of access in Gaza and argued against the U.S. decision to continue unrestricted weapons shipments, contending that Israel was breaching international humanitarian law, which generally prohibits nations from impeding humanitarian aid and the movement of aid workers in conflict areas.
“She was saying that the rules don’t apply to Israel,” recounted one participant.
Attendees characterized Grande's statements as alarmingly straightforward and refreshingly candid, catching many off guard.
The U.S. has yet to make an official determination on whether Israel is in violation of international humanitarian law. A May State Department report suggested it is “reasonable to assess” that Israel is contravening these laws in Gaza, but it fell short of a definitive conclusion.
Neither the State Department nor the National Security Council provided comments regarding the August meeting or its interpretations by the aid organizations. Additionally, the Israeli embassy did not respond to requests for comments concerning their actions related to aid in Gaza.
Several attendees expressed that Grande was not voicing her personal views but was rather articulating U.S. policy toward Israel.
Grande, who has extensive experience in humanitarian work and was previously the CEO of the U.S. Institute of Peace, became the special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues in April.
Support for Grande was echoed by several who spoke with PMG, with one humanitarian official noting, “It’s unfortunate she is the person representing this duplicity in American policy when she’s not the one responsible for it. Lise has been a breath of fresh air and supported humanitarian professionals in the U.S. government to get the senior folks to understand the importance of ongoing humanitarian access priorities” in Gaza.
This meeting with Grande followed her return from the region amid increasing skepticism from the Biden administration about the likelihood of a cease-fire in Gaza, where conflicts with Hamas militants have been ongoing since last October.
Some leaders of the aid groups expressed feeling as though they had exhausted all efforts to devise creative solutions for increasing aid to the enclave, with those solutions having been ineffective. Others mentioned they were contemplating withdrawing from Gaza due to escalating concerns for the safety of their staff.
Grande remarked that if aid organizations opted to withdraw, Israel had plans to utilize the commercial sector to deliver aid and that neighboring countries would assist in coordination.
Aid groups contend that Israel is obstructing their ability to use alternative trucking routes in Gaza—routes that would circumvent areas known for gang activity, which is associated with theft of food and medical supplies.
According to the detailed notes from the meeting, Grande informed attendees that Israel had shared intelligence with the U.S. suggesting Hamas was pilfering some aid and using it to bolster its forces, an assessment in which the administration has faith.
Grande also explained that international organizations functioning under COGAT, Israel’s agency for overseeing aid distribution in Gaza, would encounter significant obstacles in altering their operations on the ground. Notably, Grande described COGAT as a “mailbox” for the IDF, receiving instructions from various branches including the IDF, the war cabinet, and Israeli intelligence.
Efforts by the U.S. to transition the oversight of international aid work in Gaza from COGAT to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain unclear.
A COGAT spokesperson declined to comment, while a State Department official, speaking anonymously to convey the administration’s perspective, stated that COGAT and the IDF are “vital partners” and “integral to the success of humanitarian efforts.”
Anna Muller for TROIB News
