U.S. President Joe Biden has warned Israel of suspending arms deliveries if it carries out a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah.
HDN Newsroom
President Joe Biden has warned Israel that the US will stop supplying certain weapons if it launches a major ground operation in Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
"If they get into Rafah, I won't supply weapons that will be used for a large-scale attack on Rafah," President said in an interview with CNN.
He added, however, that he would "continue to ensure that Israel is safe."
Despite strong and vocal U.S. opposition, Israel appears poised to stage a large-scale invasion of Rafah.
U.S. officials have warned that an operation in the city — where the population has swelled with refugees from other parts of Gaza — could lead to widespread civilian casualties.
Biden said the US does not define the current situation in Rafah. "But I've made it clear to [Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu] and the war cabinet that they're not going to get our support if they do go to these population centers."
Biden acknowledged that U.S. weapons have been used by Israel to kill civilians in Gaza.
When asked if Israel had crossed a "red line," Trump replied, "Not yet."
In Israel, the US president's statements provoked reactions from Israeli political figures.
An incendiary tweet was posted by Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claiming Hamas' affinity with President Biden, prompting swift condemnation from opposition leader Yair Lapid.
Hamas ❤️Biden
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) May 9, 2024
Secretary of State Itamar Ben Gvir responded to Biden's decision to halt aid from Israel with a short and provocative tweet, "Hamas loves Biden."
Lapid criticized both the minister's tweet and the government's handling of the situation, highlighting concerns about national security and the government's effectiveness in fighting Hamas. MK Vladimir Blayak, a member of Lapid's faction, also stood up, describing the government as incompetent.
Lapid continued with a post on X (formerly Twitter) writing that "If Netanyahu does not fire Ben Gvir today, he endangers every soldier of the Israeli Army and every citizen in the State of Israel."
