Biden promises that the US will not supply weapons for Israel’s offensive attack on Hamas-controlled Rafah

politics

From Steven Nelson

WASHINGTON – President Biden said Wednesday that “I will not deliver the weapons” if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu carries out a full-scale attack on the Hamas-controlled town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

“I have made it clear that if they invade Rafah – they have not invaded Rafah yet – if they invade Rafah, I will not provide them with the weapons that were used in the past to fight Rafah, to fight the cities “We need to address this issue,” Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett in a rare sit-down interview.

The 81-year-old president’s threat followed a days-long cover-up by the White House over reports that the administration had halted at least one shipment of powerful precision bombs. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed in his testimony to Congress on Wednesday that it had been “paused.”

Biden has been warning Israel for weeks against attacking Hamas’s last major bastion of power, and reiterated that message in a call with Israel’s leader on Monday.

It is estimated that more than a million displaced Gazans live in and around Rafah.

Biden told Burnett that the weapons denied to Israel could also be expanded to include artillery shells.

“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a result of these bombs and other attacks on population centers,” Biden said.

“It’s just wrong. We will not – we will not supply the weapons and artillery shells used.”

He added: “I have made it clear to (Netanyahu) and the War Cabinet that if they actually move into these population centers, they will not have our support.”

But Biden said he would “continue to ensure that Israel is secure with regard to the Iron Dome and its ability to respond to attacks such as those that have occurred recently in the Middle East.”

The president, who is regularly harassed by anti-Israel protesters who call him “Genocide Joe,” has criticized Israel for months for allegedly doing too little to prevent the killing of civilians and aid workers in Gaza.

However, on Tuesday, Biden gave a pro-Israel speech at an event commemorating the Holocaust, saying protesters had “forgotten” that Hamas started the war by killing about 1,200 Israelis on October 7.

“Too many people are in denial, downplaying, rationalizing and ignoring the horrors of the Holocaust and October 7th, including Hamas’ appalling use of sexual violence to torture and terrorize Jews. “This is absolutely despicable and must stop,” said he in his speech.

Polls show Biden’s re-election is in jeopardy because of the backlash from key Democratic voters, including younger voters, Arab Americans and Muslim Americans, to his pro-Israel stance.

Netanyahu has rejected Biden’s mounting criticism.

“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” Netanyahu said in a defiant speech Sunday at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

“Eighty years ago, in the Holocaust, the Jewish people were completely defenseless against those who sought our destruction. No nation came to our aid. “Today we once again face enemies bent on our destruction,” Netanyahu said.

“I say to world leaders: no amount of pressure, no decision from an international forum will stop Israel from defending itself… We will defeat our genocidal enemies.”

“‘Never again’ is now.”