by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported a sharp decline in American weapons shipments to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday, following his recent accusations that Washington is withholding military aid.
At the start of the Gaza war, the US dispatched 240 military aid shipments to Israel, but this number has since halved to 120, reflecting a 50% reduction. Both US and Israeli officials have confirmed the decrease in US arms shipments to Israel.
“Around four months ago, there was a dramatic decrease in the supply of armaments arriving from the U.S. to Israel,” Netanyahu explained in Hebrew during his remarks ahead of a Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
“For many weeks, we appealed to our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did this time and time again. We did this at the highest levels, and on all levels, and I want to emphasize: We did this behind closed doors,” Netanyahu stated.
In a video message released on June 18, Netanyahu publicly addressed the issue, stating that it was “inconceivable” for the Biden administration to withhold weapons and ammunition during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
However, several U.S. officials have countered the allegation, stating that there has been no change in policy and no intentional delay in the delivery of military aid or weapon sales to Israel.
Despite reassurances from U.S. officials, Netanyahu reiterated his concerns, stating, “Israel, America’s closest ally, [is] fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies,” Netanyahu declared. He also referenced assurances from Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the month that “the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks.”
The Washington Post reported that the White House authorized a shipment of weapons to Israel, including 50 F-15 aircraft valued at approximately $18 billion, along with advanced missiles and JDAM kits to enhance the precision of “dumb” bombs. This shipment faced delays due to opposition from congressional Democrats but ultimately proceeded under pressure from the Biden Administration.
A White House official told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, “We have made our position clear on this repeatedly, and we are not going to keep responding to the Prime Minister’s political statements.” The official added, “We look forward to constructive consultations with the Defense Minister in Washington this week.”
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant departed for Washington, D.C., overnight Saturday to engage with top U.S. officials.
“The United States is our most important and central ally,” Gallant stated before his departure. He emphasized the importance of these discussions, saying, “Our meetings with U.S. officials are critical to this war.” He added, “During these meetings I plan to discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon. We are prepared for any action that may be required, and in additional areas.”
Politico reported that White House officials are worried that Prime Minister Netanyahu might criticize President Joe Biden during his upcoming speech to a joint session of Congress, following a bipartisan invitation.
“Netanyahu’s video this week was not helpful at all. And he could make it far worse up there in front of Congress,” officials told Politico, expressing uncertainty about Netanyahu’s remarks: “No one knows what he’s going to say.”
Additionally, three American sources informed Politico that the White House has not yet extended an official invitation to Netanyahu for a meeting with President Biden during his visit.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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