The death of Kamel Ahmad Jawad, a U.S. citizen from Dearborn, Michigan, in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon has intensified criticism of the Biden administration for its handling of the evacuation of American citizens. As Israel continues its military assault on Lebanon, the U.S. faces growing backlash for failing to evacuate its citizens in a timely manner while continuing to support Israel’s military operations.
Jawad was killed earlier this week in his hometown of Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, by an Israeli airstrike. According to a statement from his family, Jawad had chosen to remain near a hospital in the city to help care for elderly and disabled residents who couldn’t afford to flee. “He served as their guardian, provided them with food, mattresses, and other comforts, and anonymously paid off their debts,” his family said.
Jawad’s death underscores the increasing dangers Americans face in Lebanon as Israeli airstrikes continue. More than 1,000 civilians, including women and children, have been killed since mid-September. The Israeli military has justified its operations as targeting Hezbollah, but airstrikes have also devastated civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and homes.
The Biden administration confirmed Jawad’s death in a statement on Wednesday but did not acknowledge that it was caused by an Israeli airstrike. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Kamel Ahmad Jawad and our hearts go out to his family and friends,” a White House spokesperson said. “His death is a tragedy, as are the deaths of many civilians in Lebanon.”
However, the administration faced immediate scrutiny for misrepresenting Jawad’s citizenship. A State Department spokesperson initially claimed that Jawad was a legal permanent resident, not a U.S. citizen, a statement that was quickly contradicted by his family and U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Tlaib’s office confirmed that Jawad was indeed an American citizen.
The family’s statement further condemned the lack of distinction in how Americans of Lebanese descent have been treated compared to Israeli Americans, saying, “Americans of Lebanese descent have been treated as lesser U.S. citizens than Israeli U.S. citizens. It is as if we don’t exist.”
As Israeli airstrikes continue to pummel Lebanon, the Biden administration’s slow response in evacuating Americans from the country has drawn widespread outrage. While other nations, including Germany and Canada, have evacuated their citizens, the U.S. has lagged behind.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the administration has been working to secure seats on commercial flights for American citizens in Lebanon, identifying 800 available seats over several days. However, only a small number of these have been utilized.
Rep. Tlaib expressed her frustration with the administration’s evacuation efforts, stating her office has been “desperately trying to help” 148 residents from her district evacuate Lebanon. Tlaib described it as a “disgrace” that her staff has had to “beg” the Biden administration to take action. She directly linked the administration’s failure to evacuate Jawad, saying, “One of my constituents was already killed in an Israeli airstrike. The State Department is leaving Americans behind and failing to protect their own citizens.”
Tlaib’s criticism reflects a growing sentiment among Lebanese Americans, many of whom feel that they are being treated as “lesser” citizens compared to U.S. citizens in Israel. The contrast between the quick evacuation efforts for Americans in Israel after Hamas’ October 7 attack and the delayed response for those in Lebanon has only exacerbated this feeling.
One American citizen in Lebanon, identified only as Karam, told Al Jazeera that she called the U.S. embassy in Beirut for help fleeing the violence but was told to find her own way out of the country. “Americans of Lebanese descent have been treated as lesser U.S. citizens than Israeli U.S. citizens,” she said. “It is as if we don’t exist.”
Jawad’s death also highlights the broader issue of U.S. military support for Israel. Despite public calls for restraint, the U.S. has continued to supply Israel with billions of dollars in military aid, including the very bombs being used in airstrikes across Lebanon. According to reports, the bomb that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and many civilians in recent airstrikes was a 2,000-pound bomb supplied by the U.S.
Groups like CodePink have condemned the U.S. for its role in enabling the violence. “The Biden administration is providing cover for Israel as it invades a neighboring, sovereign nation,” the group said. “U.S. taxpayers fund Israel’s military, providing billions annually and supplying weapons used to kill innocent people.”
The administration’s unwavering support for Israel, despite mounting civilian casualties, has deepened international criticism. “Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, following its devastating attacks on Lebanon over the past two weeks, is the entirely predictable consequence of the Biden administration’s ceaseless coddling and resupply of weapons to Israel,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN).
“Americans of Lebanese descent have been treated as lesser U.S. citizens,” Jawad’s family reiterated in their final statement. “The fact that he was an American citizen should not make his story more important than others. But it should have made him safe.”
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