Israel war tests US appeal to global swing states

FOURNI, Greece, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) – Joe Biden has sought to portray the United States as a superpower that cares about the rule of law. The American president says this distinguishes it from Russia and China. He has made a principles-based case for pushing back against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and Chinese President Xi Jinping's sabre-rattling vis-à -vis Taiwan. The Gaza conflict, which has moved into a new phase as Israel stepped up its ground operations in recent days, is challenging that narrative. The mounting number of civilian deaths in the Palestinian territory may not just erode…