World Central Kitchen founder Jose Andres blasts IDF as US support for Israel collapses

As support for Israel among both Republicans and Democrats crumbles, Jose Andres piles the pressure on the White House over the strike that killed 7 of his aid workers.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally outside the White House. Picture: AFP.

Spanish celebrity chef Jose Andres, whose aid workers including one Australian were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza last week, has blasted Israel’s military operations in the besieged enclave as a “war against humanity itself”, as Americans’ support for its once close ally, including Donald Trump, appear to crumble.

As the six-month mark of the bloody conflict, triggered by Hamas terrorist attack on Israel in October, ticked over Andres said the deaths of the seven World Central Kitchen workers at the hands of IDF was “unforgivable” and cast doubt on the integrity of Israel’s recently completed investigation.

“I will say something — so complicated — the investigation should be much deeper,” Andrés told ABC News in an interview that aired Sunday (Monday AEST), referring to Israel’s apology for the deaths and subsequent firing of two officers who it said had flouted protocol.

“And I would say that the perpetrator cannot be investigating himself,” he added, in remarks that will intensify pressure on the White House to shift its unconditional backing of Israel, whose military operation to destroy Hamas has reportedly killed over 33,000 Palestinians according to local health authorities.

Spanish chef and founder of the World Central Kitchen charity Jose Andres. Picture: AFP.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby also on Sunday told ABC the White House was “increasingly frustrated… with the way these operations are being prosecuted and the way that Israelis are acting on the ground in terms of civilian casualties”.

President Joe Biden following a deluge of international condemnation of deaths Israel said were a terrible mistake told Israeli prime minister Netanyahu in a phone call earlier this week to do more to facilitate the safe transport of food into Gaza, fuelling the US would impose conditions on its close ally.

The change in Washington’s stance, after initially offering steadfast support following terrorist attacks that killed over 1,200 Israelis, comes amid a marked decline in American support for Israel, including among Republicans, whose evangelic Christian base had typically offered the greatest support.

Before the aid workers’ tragic deaths, Americans’ approval of Israel’s actions in Gaza had dropped to 36 per cent in late March according to Gallup, from 50 per cent in November, based on a poll conducted nationally over the first three weeks of March.

Among Republican voters support had fallen to 64 per cent from 71 per cent in November, alongside larger falls among independent and Democratic Party voters, respectively, where support has fallen from 47 to 29 per cent, and 36 to 18 per cent.

The share of voters who disapproved rose above half, to 55 per cent, for the first time, the poll also showed.

Donald Trump, whose administration was a strong backer of Israel, overseeing the shift of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, shocked some observers earlier this week after he refused in an interview with American broadcaster Hugh Hewitt to declare he was “100 per cent” behind Israel.

The Israeli and United States flags are projected on the walls of the ramparts of Jerusalem's Old City. Picture: AFP.

“They’ve got to finish what they started, and they’ve got to finish it fast, and we have to get on with life,” Mr Trump said, criticising the IDF for releasing so many images and video of Gaza’s devastated infrastructure.

“I guess it makes them look tough. But to me, it doesn’t make them look tough. They’re losing the PR war. They’re losing it big,” he added surprising some Republicans who had expected the former president would offer greater support to Jerusalem as it seeks to eradicate Hamas.

Mr Trump had said nothing publicly about Israel’s military response, apart from criticising Netanyahu for an alleged intelligence failure in the days immediately after October’s terrorist attack, until the last few weeks.

The slump in support for Israel among Democrats could imperil the passage of a US$95 billion foreign aid bill passed by the Senate in February, which included around $17bn in aid for Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine — a bill expected, in some form, to face a vote in the House of Representatives this week.

Influential former speaker Nancy Pelosi and 36 other Democratic Party congressmen in a public letter released on Friday (Saturday AEST) urged Joe Biden to halt arms transfers to Israel, potentially jeopardising passage of the controversial omnibus aid package that Democrats had championed.

“Is that a serious question?” the Joe Biden replied when asked by a reporter, as he was boarding Marine One, if the US was abandoning Israel earlier this week. If not now, it could be after the next batch of national opinion polls emerge.