Joe Biden, who is criticized by part of his electoral base for his policy of strong support for Israel, has decided to suspend for eighteen months the deportations of Palestinians who are in the US, the White House announced yesterday.

“In light of the ongoing conflict and humanitarian needs on the ground,” the US president signed an executive order that “protects the majority of Palestinians living in the United States, with certain exceptions,” from deportation, his national security adviser explained. White House, Jake Sullivan, with a press release released by the US presidency yesterday.

Persons who have been irrevocably convicted by justice, or “considered to pose a risk to public security” will not benefit from this suspension of deportations, he clarified.

According to a report in the New York Times, the measure could benefit about 6,000 people.

The Democratic president, running for a second term, has been heavily criticized for his stances on the war in the Gaza Strip, especially from the more progressive wing of his party’s supporters and Arab Americans.

Although a staunch supporter of Israel, Joe Biden is increasingly showing displeasure in Washington over the way Israeli military operations are being conducted in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the unprecedented October 7 attack by Hamas.

He recently called the Israeli retaliation “excessive”, while his government has been constantly stressing recently that civilians must be protected in view of the expected Israeli attack on Rafah, on the closed border of the Gaza Strip with Egypt.