Billions of dollars’ worth of US weaponry remains in the pipeline for Israel, despite the delay of one shipment of bombs and a review of others by President Joe Biden’s administration, concerned their use in an assault could wreak more devastation on Palestinian civilians.
A senior US official said this week that the administration had reviewed the delivery of weapons that Israel might use for a major invasion of Rafah, a southern Gaza city where over 1 million civilians have sought refuge, and as a result paused a shipment of bombs to Israel.
‘Fingernails’
Netanyahu issued a video statement on Thursday saying Israelis “would fight with their fingernails” in an apparent rebuff of Biden.
Republicans accused Biden of backing down on his commitments to Israel. “If the Commander-in-Chief can’t muster the political courage to stand up to radicals on his left flank and stand up for an ally at war, the consequences will be grave,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said in a Senate speech.
Ten other Senate Republicans held a press conference to announce a non-binding resolution condemning “any action by the Biden Administration to withhold or restrict weapons for Israel.”
White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Israel was still getting the weapons it needs to defend itself. “He’s (Biden’s) going to continue to provide Israel with the capabilities that it needs, all of them,” Kirby said.
