The Hindu - International

Trump accuses Biden of siding with Hamas on weapons supply to Israel

Former President called his election rival’s stance ‘disgracefu­l’; under increasing pressure to limit arms shipments from other leading Republican­s and rest of his own party, Biden paused delivery of 1,800 907-kg bombs and 1,700 225-kg bombs

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onald Trump accused election rival Joe Biden on Thursday of siding with Hamas when he threatened to stop sending U.S. weapons to Israel as it wages war against the Palestinia­n militant group in Gaza, calling the President’s stance “disgracefu­l”.

Mr. Biden warned on Wednesday of halting weapons supplies if Israel pushes ahead with its longthreat­ened Rafah ground ošensive, his most direct warning yet over the civilian impact of the war.

“Crooked Joe is taking the side of these terrorists, just like he has sided with the Radical Mobs taking over

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our college campuses,” Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social network, referring to the protests against the war that have spread across U.S. universiti­es.

Speaking later to pressperso­ns outside the courtroom at his hush money trial in New York, Mr. Trump said that “what Biden is doing with respect to Israel is disgracefu­l”.

“He’s totally abandoned Israel and nobody can believe it,” said the former President and presumptiv­e

Republican presidenti­al nominee who will face oš against Democrat Biden in the November election.

Leading Republican­s have also weighed in against Mr. Biden.

Mr. Biden “cannot claim his support for Israel is ‘ironclad’ while denying Israel precisely the weapons it needs to defend itself,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on ◣.

Under increasing pressure from the left of his own party to limit arms shipments, Mr. Biden paused delivery last week of 1,800 907-kg bombs and 1,700 225-kg bombs.

His administra­tion has also previously taken smaller steps to show displeasur­e with Israel, including imposing sanctions on extremist settlers and letting through a UN Security Council resolution that supported a cease re.

The White House later insisted that Mr. Biden still strongly supported Israel.

“The argument that somehow we’re walking away from this role, we’re not willing to help them to defeat Hamas, just doesn’t comport with the facts,” National Security Council spokespers­on John Kirby told pressperso­ns.

“This is a President who visited Israel within days of the October 7 attacks,” said Mr. Kirby, adding that Mr. Biden had also “put American ghter pilots in the sky” to shoot down missiles and drones red by Iran at Israel.

 ?? REUTERS ?? ering stance: Donald Trump appears before the start of his criminal trial at New York State Supreme Court on May 6.
REUTERS ering stance: Donald Trump appears before the start of his criminal trial at New York State Supreme Court on May 6.

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