President Biden’s warning to halt arms supplies adds to the dilemma facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he becomes increasingly caught between international calls for a ceasefire and right-wing Israeli demands for a massive invasion of Rafah. South.
Mr Netanyahu, who insisted the invasion of Rafah was necessary despite U.S. objections, now finds U.S.-Israeli relations at a crisis point that could affect how he approaches the next phase of his war against Hamas.
“If we need to isolate, we will isolate,” the Israeli leader said in a statement on Thursday, referring to Biden’s remarks. “I said we will fight with our fingernails if necessary.” But we have more than our nails, and with the same spiritual strength, and with God’s help, we will prevail together.
Biden for the first time threatened to withhold more U.S. weapons, including heavy bombs and artillery shells, as analysts said the Israeli military could lose control if it launched a major operation in Rafah, a city packed with about a million Palestinians .
“The United States provided Israel with a steel dome — it was not just military support; Amos Gilead said: “This is at the United Nations, international courts and so on.”
“It would be unforgivable if we lost the incredible friendship of President Biden in America,” he added.
But Israeli military spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said on Thursday that the military had enough “ammunition for planned operations, including in Rafah.”
Experts say that while Israel has enough weapons stockpiles to stage a major invasion of Gaza City, U.S. restrictions could force the Israeli military to cut back on deployments of certain munitions.
“We may have to be economical with our weapons and hit more targets without precision bombs,” said former national security adviser Jacob Nagel.
Avi Dutton, the former head of procurement at the Israeli Defense Ministry, told Israel’s public broadcaster Kan that he “could be worried” if U.S. weapons were detained. But at least on the surface, key members of Netanyahu’s government say the war effort will not be affected.
“I say to Israel’s enemies and our best friends: the State of Israel cannot be conquered,” Defense Minister Yov Gallant said at the commemoration ceremony, adding that Israel would take “all necessary measures” to defend it. own territory.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that Israel would achieve “complete victory” despite Biden’s “counterattacks and arms embargo.”
U.S.-made weapons, including heavy bombs, have been critical to Israel’s war since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and other militant groups. Demanding that he take control of the Israeli military. According to the local health department, the number now exceeds 34,000.
Biden made the comments in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, acknowledging for the first time that U.S. bombs have killed innocent civilians in the conflict.
U.S. concerns have only grown since Israeli forces sent tanks and troops east of Rafah on Monday night, seizing the main crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Israeli forces have not yet entered the city’s built-up areas, but Netanyahu and others have said such operations are necessary to eliminate Hamas camps there.
On Tuesday, U.S. officials said Biden had seized 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs that he feared could be targeted at Rafah. The administration is reviewing whether to block future transfers, including guidance kits that convert so-called “dumb bombs” into precision-guided munitions, officials said.
In addition to the bombs, Biden said the United States would not provide artillery shells if Israel invaded the Rafah population center.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, called the Biden administration’s decision “very disappointing” and “frustrating.”
“We have a ruthless enemy here,” he said. “Is it time to limit Israeli weapons?”
Nadav Eyal, a prominent columnist for a centrist Israeli newspaper, said Biden has essentially decided to declare an end to the war. He wrote on the social media platform X that this was “the most serious conflict between the US government and the Israeli government since the first Lebanon War.”
Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, said Thursday that Biden’s decision “sends the wrong message to Hamas and our enemies in the region.”
“This puts us in a difficult position,” he said during a public dialogue hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. He added, “No one has proposed to me or to us a strategy to defeat Hamas without dealing with Rafah.”
However, some analysts have downplayed the severity of the crisis, arguing it is not as serious as past rifts between the United States and Israel. Nagel said the breakdown in relations in 2016 over the Iran nuclear deal was “worse.”
Amid the tense situation, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked the United States for its support for Israel and appeared to lash out at National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who posted “Hama” on X “S♥Biden” post.
“Even when there are moments of disagreement and disappointment between friends and allies, there are ways to clarify disputes,” Mr. Herzog said.
Myra Novick, Michael Crowley and Jonathan Rice Contributed reporting.
