Event Resources: Biden’s Final Two Months: A Better Approach to Arms and the Middle East (November 7, 2024)

On November 7, 2024, the Forum on the Arms Trade and DAWN hosted “Biden’s Final Two Months: A Better Approach to Arms and the Middle East.” The Forum maintains resources on the U.S. provision of arms to  Israel as well as to Saudi Arabia. DAWN also examines the implications of a U.S.-Saudi security agreement. During the event, panelists argued that the United States would be better served not providing weapons into the region.

Video of the event is available at https://youtu.be/kWRsFJ3_rE0.

During and as a follow up to the event, panelists offered the following recommendations. (These recommendations were individually offered and can be attributed to the panelist offering them. They were not jointly reviewed):

Josh Paul, Senior Advisor, DAWN

Apply the law: President Biden should finally direct attorneys at the State Department and White House to make the obvious legal determination that Israel has been restricting U.S.-funded humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and that it has been engaged in a continuous pattern of Gross Violations of Human Rights. Rolling back legal determinations is possible, but much tougher, than rolling back policy changes.

Use your leverage: President Biden should restrict lethal arms transfers of weapons that are being used in Gaza, stop replenishing the WRSA stockpile, and pause the processing of pending arms sale cases and licenses. If nothing else, this will force a corresponding pause in Israel's operations in the region.

Expand sanctions: President Biden should sanction the Settlement Councils and Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich, including through the application of Magnitsky Sanctions which would require a report to Congress explaining why an individual sanctioned has been removed from those sanctions, should they so be. Certain Settler groups should also be given FTO designations.

Recognize Statehood: The U.S. should recognize Palestinian Statehood and urge the UN Security Council to approve Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, leveling the playing field of international law in a way that would be impossible, in some aspects, for a future Administration to roll back. Recognition of the 1967 borders would also solidify international legal efforts to sanction settlements.

Annelle Sheline, Research Fellow, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
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Do not try to rush through a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia

• We know that MBS had previously made foolish foreign policy decisions, like invading and blockading Yemen, and is likely to do so again if he thought he had unlimited U.S. support. We have seen the horrifying behavior that unconditional U.S. support has encouraged Israel to take.
• This is an important signal to Congressional Democrats to oppose a U.S. defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, even in order to get to an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal. This is not in U.S. interests.

Affirm the need to prioritize human rights in American foreign policy

• Withhold weapons sales to human rights abusing governments, as required by U.S. law.
• Do not authorize new weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Israel.

Affirm support for international institutions

• Including the UN, the UN Security Council, and the UN Human Rights Council

• Vocally express support for international institutions that your administration previously denigrated, including the ICC and ICJ.
• Express support for the crucial work of UNRWA and other international humanitarian organizations doing crucial work in the region.
• These are crucial signals for Democrats in Congress to oppose Trump and the Republicans’ efforts to undermine these institutions.

Omer Ismail, Former Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sudan

Watch his policy recommendations here (31:47 into the video).

​Negar Mortazavi, Editor and Host, the Iran Podcast and Senior Non-resident Fellow, Center for International Policy

Watch her policy recommendations here (39:38 into the video).
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The Forum provides a platform for expert views but does not itself take positions.