SNA (Tokyo) — US President Joe Biden, already facing what increasingly appears to be an uphill battle to win reelection in November 2024, has further alienated much of the progressive wing of his Democratic Party with his extreme pro-Israel stance since the offensive launched by Hamas on October 7.

Disenchantment with Biden’s full-throated support for Israeli military action appears to be particularly concentrated among young Democrats and ethnic minorities.

For example, Pennsylvania House of Representatives lawmaker Summer Lee issued a statement last week calling for deescalation of the conflict, declaring that “collective punishment of civilians is a violation of international human rights law. A nation’s right to defense does not allow it to violate international law. Palestinian civilians in Gaza–half of whom are children–are not collectively guilty, and should not be collectively punished. The Israeli government’s response to Hamas’ attack is punishing all Palestinians in Gaza by cutting food, water, fuel, electricity and leaving two-thirds of health centers inoperable for innocent civilians.”

For his part, Biden dismissed as “the price of war” credible reports of thousands of Palestinian women and children having been killed in Israeli bombardments of the Gaza Strip.

“If Trump had justified innocents being killed in this way,” responded Quincy Institute Executive Vice-President Trita Parsi, “half this country would be up in arms and would understand the anger of the rest of the world.”

Gallup reported last week that Biden’s job approval rating among self-identified Democrats tumbled eleven points to 75%, the lowest of his presidency, probably as a result of his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Other polls suggest that Biden is either neck-and-neck or falling behind presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race.

This article was originally published on October 30, 2023, in the “Japan and the World” newsletter. Become a Shingetsu News supporter on Patreon and receive the newsletter by email each Monday morning.