A new report alleges that the Biden administration has put a shipment of ammunition, intended for Israel, on hold for the first time since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.
Axios reported that a pair of Israeli officials informed them that the shipment was halted last week for unknown reasons.
“The incident raised serious concerns inside the Israeli government and sent officials scrambling to understand why the shipment was held,” Axios reported, adding that Biden is facing intense criticism from Americans, largely within his own party, that oppose his support of Israel.
They also cited the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to state that he will carry out a military operation in Rafah, a city in the south of the region where Hamas militants are reportedly hiding out, in one of their few remaining strongholds.
However, approximately 1.5 million noncombatants have taken shelter in the city as they are displaced due to the ongoing war. Biden has warned that there could be consequences if the operation goes through without proper precautions taken to protect the lives of civilians.
According to Axios, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel last week to have a “tough” conversation with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials regarding a possible invasion of Rafah.
Citing two sources familiar with the matter, Axios reported that Blinken told Netanyahu that “a major military operation” in Rafah would face public opposition from the U.S., and would damage relations between the nations.
The next day, White House spokesman John Kirby said that Israeli leaders are fully aware that Biden “is sincere” when discussing the possibility of changes to U.S. policy, warning that changes may come “should [Israel] move ahead with some sort of ground operation in Rafah that doesn’t take into account the refugees.”
This was reiterated by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who said during a Financial Times conference on Saturday that any operation in Rafah, and the way it is conducted, will influence U.S. policy towards the war.
Netanyahu, and Israel at large, has also been criticized for the deaths of tens of thousands of noncombatants in the region, including aid workers. In February, the Biden administration asked Israel to provide written assurances that weaponry provided to the nation was not being used in violation with international law, which the nation provided in March, according to Axios.
When pressed for comment about the report, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told Fox News, “The United States has surged billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel since the October 7 attacks, passed the largest ever supplemental appropriation for emergency assistance to Israel, led an unprecedented coalition to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, and will continue to do what is necessary to ensure Israel can defend itself from the threats it faces,” the statement said.
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Author: John Symank
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