President Joe Biden recently announced in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett that a major Israeli offensive in Rafah would result in a shut-off of some US weapons, specifically bombs and artillery shells deemed by the administration as indiscriminate and imprecise. This decision has sparked backlash from lawmakers in both parties, with Republicans criticizing the move for potentially worsening civilian casualties in Gaza. However, Biden’s aides have stated that warnings were given to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the announcement was made.
The president’s ultimatum represents a significant shift in US-Israeli relations during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Biden had previously paused the transfer of 3,500 bombs to Israel due to concerns about their potential use in Rafah. While Republicans such as Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott have condemned the decision, some House Democrats have expressed deep concerns about the message being sent to Hamas by withholding weapons shipments to Israel. They have called for a briefing from the White House to better understand the administration’s decision.
Despite the criticism, some Democrats have defended Biden’s actions, emphasizing the need to prevent civilian casualties and avoid further strengthening Hamas. Senator Chris Murphy highlighted the lessons learned from US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, where defeating terrorist ideologies proved difficult. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US believes Israel has killed more civilians than Hamas terrorists in Gaza and called for more efforts to mitigate civilian deaths. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the number of casualties from Israeli military operations has exceeded 35,000.
Last week, the State Department released a report suggesting that US weapons may have been used by Israeli forces in ways inconsistent with international humanitarian law, although it stopped short of officially declaring Israel in violation of the law. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen expressed concerns that the report did not provide an unvarnished accounting of the facts and may have given political cover to Netanyahu to continue deadly strikes in Israel. Senator Chris Coons defended Biden’s actions, stating that the president has taken forceful action despite facing blowback for his decisions.
In conclusion, President Joe Biden’s ultimatum regarding the transfer of US weapons to Israel in response to a potential offensive in Rafah has sparked criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The decision represents a significant shift in US-Israeli relations during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. While some Democrats have defended Biden’s actions as necessary to prevent civilian casualties, others have raised concerns about the message being sent to Hamas and the need for a more unvarnished assessment of the situation. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing discussions and debates over US policy towards Israel and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
