'Gaza war has to stop now, and US is the one to stop it' — UN SDSN official

The top official of a UN body has slammed as a “disgrace” the air-dropping of aid to war-ravaged Gaza and instead called on the Biden administration to stop arming Israel to end the suffering of Palestinians in the besieged enclave.

“We must urgently get medical supplies, food supplies, fuel, and water (into Gaza). Because what Israel has done is a massive war crime, and it has brought hundreds of thousands of people to the brink of starvation,” said Jeffrey Sachs, the Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which mobilises global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical problem-solving for sustainable development.

“The war has to stop now,” he said in an exclusive interview with TRT World on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Türkiye, emphasising the urgent need for humanitarian assistance in besieged Gaza.

“Instead of the airdrops, the US should stop providing ammunition to Israel immediately.”

His comments came ahead of the air drops by the US, which has faced mounting criticism for mocking the sufferings of thousands of civilians deliberately pushed to starvation by Israel.

‘Shame on Biden, shame on EU’

During a panel discussion before the interview at the forum, Sachs criticised the United States’ hegemonic attitude, particularly in the aftermath of the Cold War.

The US is living in a “bubble”, which is “extremely dangerous,” he said.

The US views every other part of the world as a “threat”, which is actually a threat to “America’s image of hegemony,” he added.

“That’s the American mentality. If you’re too big, you’re a threat. If you don’t side with us, you’re a threat. If we can’t have a military base in your country, you’re a threat. But that’s leading to wars everywhere right now.”

Regarding the ongoing war in Gaza, Sachs highlighted that without US support, Israel would not be able to sustain its military offensive.

“It’s a shame on Biden, and it’s a shame on the European Union not to be stopping this war now. And to leave it to Israel is just an excuse because Israel could not make this war a single day without the United States,” he told TRT World.

“The US and EU are complicit in Israel's war crimes.”

Lobby rules US despite public opposition

Sachs also highlighted the disconnection between the US leadership and public opinion, noting that while the American people oppose their government’s policies, Washington continues to disregard their concerns due to the influence of powerful interest groups.

Referring to the Zionist lobby's influence on American politics, Sachs said, “The US is in the hands of a powerful lobby which has supported Israel no matter what Israel is doing.”

Most Americans are actually “on the right side” and against “what our own government in the United States is doing right now,” he said.

“The opinion surveys show that Washington doesn’t listen even to the American people, much less to the world community. This is a power situation of a small elite in the United States.”

‘It’s one against the world’

Regarding the UN’s role, Sachs said that he wants to see daily resolutions in the Security Council, advocating not only for a ceasefire but also for a two-state solution recognising Palestine as a member of the UN.

“I want the UN every day to bring up a resolution in the UN Security Council. And calling for not only a ceasefire but the two-state solution recognising Palestine as the 194th UN member state.”

In any case of a US veto, he said he’d like to see the US standing in “isolation” and bear the consequences.

“Because then the US will change its position when it understands this is completely unacceptable.”

Sachs said the US administration is actually inside an “illusion” as if the world is looking at them for leadership.

“Are you kidding? The world looks to the US (and says) don’t bomb us, don’t kill us but not for leadership,” he said, and added that “the US cannot function against the whole rest of the world”.

“The US will change because the American people are not in favour of this policy. They’re not looking for hegemonic status. They’re looking for quiet,” he said.

“The whole world is speaking with one voice. Except for the US and Israel, that can’t work.”