In a fresh rift between the US and its strong ally Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that Washington has delayed the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. Providing clarification on the nature of US military assistance to Israel, Blinken stated that all military support is going according to plan, except for the bomb shipment due to concerns regarding its usage in heavily populated regions like Rafah. Blinken’s statement came after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu criticized US President Biden for putting a halt to weapon shipment for Israel. BYTE: video 5: full byte Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli PM
While Netanyahu accused the Biden administration in public of holding back weapons, Blinken and the White House denied any wider weapon holds, aside from the bombs as stated earlier. The US State Department underlined that despite the confrontation with Hamas, efforts are still being made to guarantee Israel’s defense needs are satisfied. BYTE: video 2: 0.23 to 1.06 Antony Blinken, US Secy of State
For the unversed, the Biden administration had paused the shipment of the weapons to Israel following the Israeli military’s offensive operation on Rafah, where thousands of Palestinians were seeking shelter, claiming the presence of Hamas and emphasizing their goals to destroy the organization and free hostages.
US officials clarified that Israel placed restrictions on weaponry because of its military actions in Rafah, which have resulted in more civilian deaths and displacement. Throughout the course of the eight months of the conflict, the US has also proceeded with a number of other arms sales and transfers to Israel. The administration started the preliminary steps of pursuing a new $1 billion arms contract for Israel in mid-May, just a few weeks after the suspension was declared.
In light of the intricate regional security dynamics including Iran and Hezbollah, this development heightens the focus on the U.S.-Israel relations. Despite continuous efforts to mediate a ceasefire, the incident highlights the tense relations between the United States and Israel. Meanwhile, Israel’s airstrike on a Gaza refugee camp on Tuesday has claimed the lives of at least 17 Palestinians, casting a grim shadow over the fragile ceasefire efforts in the region.
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