Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that U.S. military assistance to Israel is proceeding as usual, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations of withholding weapons.
Netanyahu’s Accusation and Blinken’s Response
In a video posted on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Biden administration of withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel. “It is inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel,” Netanyahu said, directly addressing Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken quickly responded, denying the claims and emphasizing that U.S. military assistance to Israel is moving as it normally would, with the exception of one shipment. The delayed shipment contains 1,800 to 2,000-pound bombs, which President Joe Biden paused in early May due to concerns about their potential use in urban areas, possibly causing civilian casualties.
Blinken Clarifies the Hold
During a press conference in Washington with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Blinken stated, “We, as you know, are continuing to review one shipment that President Biden has talked about with regard to 2,000-pound bombs because of our concerns about their use in a densely populated area like Rafah. That remains under review.”
“But everything else is moving as it normally would move and, again, with the perspective of making sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against this multiplicity of challenges,” Blinken added, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to supporting Israel.
White House Reaction
The White House expressed confusion over Netanyahu’s broader allegations. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We genuinely don’t know what he is talking about,” reiterating that only one shipment of the 500 unguided bombs was paused.
Context of the Conflict
The clash over the weapons shipment comes amidst ongoing tensions between Israel and the United States. The Biden administration is actively working to persuade Netanyahu to bring the war to a swift end through a ceasefire deal with Hamas. This situation has strained relations between the two countries, with both sides navigating the complex dynamics of military support and humanitarian concerns.
Moving Forward
Despite the current disagreement, Blinken noted that the U.S. will continue to process weapons shipments, stressing that such operations inherently take time. The administration’s focus remains on ensuring that Israel has the necessary resources to defend itself while mitigating potential civilian casualties in conflict zones.
COMMENTS