(UnitedVoice.com) – President Joe Biden’s administration has repeatedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against attacking Rafah, a town that borders Egypt in Gaza. The US is concerned about the possibility of a high casualty count because there are approximately 1.4 million refugees in the city. The Israeli government has already started targeted attacks in the region, and the US paused an ammo shipment. The Biden administration is trying to reassure everyone of its commitment to Israel while also making more threats.
On Sunday, May 5, reports came in indicating the Biden administration held up a shipment of US-made ammunition that was supposed to go to Israel. Two days later, on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a daily press briefing and said America has an “ironclad” commitment to Israel.
Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich asked the press secretary how it was “ironclad” if the Biden administration was slow-walking an arms sale. The journalist noted that Biden has said that the supplemental aid was critical, but now they aren’t sending ammo to the ally. “How do you square that?” Heinrich asked.
Jean-Pierre refused to talk about specifics but reiterated the US’s commitment to Israel’s security “is indeed ironclad.” She claimed the administration proved how ironclad it was by getting the aid package through Congress.
Just a day later, Biden spoke to CNN’s Erin Burnett and told her that he is considering halting some shipments of American weapons to Israel if Netanyahu moves forward with a major invasion of Rafah. He said he has “made it clear” that if Israel attacks Rafah, the US is “not supplying the weapons that have been used historically.”
If Biden puts conditions on US aid to Israel, it would be a first for his administration. He has repeatedly refused to put restrictions on the use of the aid sent to the Jewish state in the past. The high casualty count has frustrated the president, and he has sought to put pressure on the Israelis. However, it could also further erode Biden and Netanhyahu’s relationship at a critical time in the conflict against Hamas.
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