U.S. Gives Israel Deadline To Abide By International Law

The Biden administration gave Israel until mid-March to sign a letter, provided by the U.S. on Tuesday, that gives assurances it will abide by international law while using U.S. weapons and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, three U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

The assurances are now a requirement under a memorandum issued earlier this month by President Biden. While it doesn't single out Israel, the new policy came after some Democratic senators expressed concern over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. If the assurances aren't provided by the deadline, U.S. weapon transfers to the country will be paused.

The national security memorandum, published on Feb. 8, states that prior to supplying U.S. weapons, a country must give the U.S. "credible and reliable written assurances" that it will use any such weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law.

It also stresses that a country that uses U.S. weapons in conflict areas needs to provide "credible and reliable written assurances" that it will "facilitate and not arbitrarily deny, restrict, or otherwise impede, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance and United States Government-supported international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance."