Foreign Policy

The State Department Won’t Commit to Ever Producing a Conclusive Report on Israel’s Conduct

Government officials did not determine whether Israel was violating U.S. or international law due to, in part, a lack of personnel on the ground in Gaza — which the government doesn’t plan to put in place.

Israeli soldiers from the artillery unit store tank shells.

A State Department report on Israel’s military activity frustrated lawmakers and international human rights organizations. Leo Correa/AP

By John T. Seward

May 20, 2024 11:47 AM

The State Department said a lack of personnel on the ground in Gaza is “one of the reasons” its recent report on whether Israel used United States weapons in violation of U.S. and international law was inconclusive.

But the Biden administration will not commit to an independent investigation — raising questions about whether the United States will ever have definitive findings on how its military aid is used abroad.

The State Department reiterated to NOTUS that it would not be putting personnel on the ground in Gaza, a policy announced by Biden during his State of the Union speech in March. It would not comment on whether it would ever seek a conclusive answer on how American weapons are being used.