by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The Biden Administration is threatening Israel to cut arms sales to the Jewish State if it fails to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
In a letter dated October 13 and addressed to senior Israeli officials, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed the U.S. government’s concern, holding Israel responsible for the sharp decline in humanitarian aid reaching Gaza. The letter emphasized that this reduction has led to severe starvation and widespread suffering, particularly in the northern part of the enclave, where Israel has intensified its ground operations over the past two weeks, the WSJ reported.
The Biden Administration gave Israel a 30-day deadline to “reverse the downward humanitarian trajectory,” warning that failure to do so “may have implications” for future weapons transfers and funding under U.S. law.
Blinken and Austin specifically reference a section of the Foreign Assistance Act, which prohibits the U.S. from providing security aid to any country that “prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.”
Some U.S. officials have expressed concern that, without a significant increase in humanitarian aid, there could be a rise in starvation-related deaths in northern Gaza as early as next week.
Blinken and Austin’s demands focused on three key areas: boosting the supply of humanitarian aid before winter, streamlining the delivery route through Jordan, and ending northern Gaza’s ” isolation.”
The Israeli military issued a statement Tuesday asserting that “humanitarian efforts in northern Gaza continue,” highlighting actions like escorting 33 patients to operational hospitals and delivering fuel supplies.
COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for overseeing aid distribution in Gaza, shared on social media over the weekend that five bakeries in northern Gaza currently produce 1.3 million pita breads daily.
“Israel takes this matter seriously and intends to address the concerns raised in this letter with our American counterparts,” an Israeli official in Washington told the Times of Israel.
In response to the letter from Blinken and Austin, the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC criticized the Biden administration for suggesting U.S. military aid could be restricted if Israel fails to meet its demands.
“Threatening to cut off American support for Israel as it faces Iran and its proxies on seven fronts weakens our ally, undermines American interests, and sends a dangerous message to our common enemies about U.S. support for our democratic allies,” AIPAC wrote on X, emphasizing that Israel has made efforts to address the crisis under challenging conditions.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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