Crossing the Red Line; A Conversation with Akbar Shahid Ahmed

In the days following the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, President Joe Biden made clear his steadfast support for Israel. But as Israel’s military campaign continued and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepened, concern and opposition grew within his own administration over Israel’s conduct of the war and America’s continuing support.My guest, journalist Akbar Shahid Ahmed, interviewed more than 150 people for his important new book, Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel’s War in Gaza. During our conversation, Akbar described how Biden relied on a small coterie of advisers, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Brett McGurk, the National Security Council’s Middle East coordinator, leaving much of the State Department largely on the sidelines.We also talk about critical moments when the administration appeared to have opportunities to exert greater pressure on Israel, including the aftermath of the April 2024 killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers. But that pressure was short-lived as Israel continued to push the boundaries of Biden’s so-called “red line” over a major military operation in Rafah.Nearly three years after the Hamas attack, Gaza’s population continues to face severe shortages of desperately needed humanitarian assistance. Akbar believes there will be little progress on President Trump’s 15-point peace plan, The Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza, until after Israel’s elections at the end of October, and even then the situation is likely to remain deadlocked.Host:               Jim FalkGuest:              Akram S. Ahmed, Diplomatic Correspondent NOTUS & Author, Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors and Israel’s War in Gaza