The US denies Israel weapons if Rafah attacks

STORY: U.S. President Joe Biden publicly vowed for the first time on Wednesday to stop arms sales to Israel – if his troops carry out a full-scale invasion of Rafah, a town filled with refugees fleeing war elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview with CNN, Biden said:

“I have made it clear that I will not supply the weapons if they advance to Rafah…”

He acknowledged in the interview that American bombs provided to Israel had killed civilians in the seven-month offensive in Gaza that came in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

The comments are the president’s strongest public statement yet and underscore the growing divide between the United States and its closest ally in the Middle East.

The interview was broadcast hours after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed to the Senate that the United States had at least temporarily suspended a planned shipment of thousands of heavy bombs.

And that Biden made the decision to withhold the weapons out of concern for Rafah.

This is the first delay of its kind since the US government pledged “ironclad” support to Israel.

“We have learned that you have to protect civilians in the combat zone, otherwise more terrorists will emerge in the future.”

The United States is by far Israel’s largest arms supplier, and Congress approved $26 billion in additional funding for the country last month.

Biden said the US would continue to provide defensive weapons, including to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

However, with regard to civilian casualties, he added: “It is simply wrong… We will not supply the weapons and artillery shells.”

The president is under increasing pressure at home over American support for Israel as he runs for re-election this year.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on Biden’s remarks, but Israeli authorities insisted that Rafah must be hit and said thousands of Hamas fighters were there.

Its forces continued tank and air strikes on the southern Gaza Strip after entering through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, cutting off a vital aid route.