Biden says US won't supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally
Source: AP
Updated 8:29 PM EDT, May 8, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israels defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, were not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.
The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Bidens comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. Biden said Wednesday that Israels actions around Rafah had not yet crossed his red lines, but has repeated that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.
The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban area.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4
Article updated.
Previous article -
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah -- the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza -- over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, "we're not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used."
The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel. That has only accelerated in the aftermath of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 in Israel and led to about 250 being taken captive by militants. Biden's comments and his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel are the most striking manifestations of the growing daylight between his administration and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Biden has said that Israel needs to do far more to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza.
The shipment was supposed to consist of 1,800 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225-kilogram) bombs, according to a senior U.S. administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. The focus of U.S. concern was the larger explosives and how they could be used in a dense urban.
Original article -
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah -- the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza -- over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel's defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, "we're not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used, that have been used."
The interview marked Biden's toughest public comments yet about the potential Israeli military operation and followed his decision to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel last week over concerns that the U.S. ally was moving closer to an attack on Rafah despite public and private warnings from his administration.
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prodigitalson
(2,489 posts)but I do appreciate the sentiment
wryter2000
(46,153 posts)This is what had to be done.
lynintenn
(660 posts)oldsoftie
(12,702 posts)TomDaisy
(1,982 posts)LudwigPastorius
(9,310 posts)electric_blue68
(15,053 posts)Deminpenn
(15,310 posts)It's a start.
Johnny2X2X
(19,356 posts)After the attacks of 10/7, Israel had the right to try to eliminate Hamas where ever they fled to. But at some point to me it became less about defense of Israel and more about revenge by punishing the civilians of Gaza. So Biden has been walking a tight rope and workig really hard behind the scenes for a cease fire and more humanitarian aid.
Israel seizing control of the border crossing and immediately haulting aid and food to women and children literally on the brink of death from starvation was a bridge too far for me. A full scale invasion of Rafah, the place where Israel ordered all civilians into, would be a disaster of epic proportions that the US cannot support. Bibi is a deranged wannabe dictator. His aims in Rafah are to exact revenge, he knows there is no realistic plan to defeat Hamas right now.