❗️Former US envoy says Israel exploited Biden’s support to continue genocide in Gaza

Former US ambassador to Israel Jack Lew has said he struggled to persuade Israeli government officials to prioritize the safety of US-Israelis captives after 7 October, adding that the Israeli government took advantage of then-President Joe Biden’s unwavering support for Israel during its genocide in Gaza.

Speaking at a Columbia University event on Wednesday, Lew said the captives were among his top concerns but ranked far lower among those of his Israeli government counterparts, according to Haaretz.

He claimed that Washington lacked meaningful leverage over Israel because officials in Tel Aviv knew Biden would not suspend support or leave Israel without US backing.

"Unless you're willing to say, 'Do it our way or we're going to be leaving you on your own,' you didn't have the leverage to make the kind of difference that you would have liked," Lew said, adding that Biden’s refusal to abandon Israel had been "taken advantage of."