WASHINGTON — In the final weeks of his administration, President Joe Biden personally considered new American intelligence about Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza that prompted concerns that American and Israeli officials were violating U.S. and international law – then rejected suggestions from advisers to reduce American involvement in the war, three former U.S. officials told HuffPost.
The intelligence reporting described Israeli officials’ own view of whether their treatment of Palestinians through large-scale attacks and severe limits on humanitarian aid was illegal, two former officials said. U.S. officials identified the information as so serious and sensitive that it prompted an urgent interagency meeting including the president, per one former official.
Biden, members of his Cabinet and senior aides discussed dramatic potential responses, particularly limiting American intelligence-sharing with Israel, to reduce possible U.S. liability, the officials said; one said a high-ranking intelligence official advocated for that move. HuffPost spoke with eight former officials, who requested anonymity so they could describe sensitive conversations. They did not share any intelligence or classified information.
