Biden vows to block arms if Israel PM invades Rafah
United States President Joe Biden has publicly warned Israel for the first time that he will stop supplying US weapons if it goes ahead with a planned ground invasion of Rafah.
Biden explicitly conditioned the transfer of American weaponry on Israel’s military actions on Wednesday (local time) as he acknowledged that US bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza. He cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against invading the southern Gazan city of Rafah during a phone call on Monday.
In an interview with CNN, Biden was more explicit about his conversations with Netanyahu and his war cabinet.
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah
– they haven’t gone in Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities. “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they [Israel] go after population centres,” Biden said. “It’s just wrong, we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells.”
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has so far killed more than 30,000 civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Rafah, the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza, is also currently holding more than a million displaced civilians.
Biden said Washington was still committed to Israel’s defence and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms.
The president did not believe Israel has crossed a red line of entering heavily populated areas, saying: “I’ve made it clear to Bibi and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support, if, in fact, they go on these population centres.
“We’re not walking away from Israel’s security, we’re walking away from Israel’s ability to wage war in those areas.”
But if Israel entered Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used”.
His comments follow his decision last week to pause a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel, in a striking manifestation of the growing divide between his administration and Netanyahu’s government.
It comes as the US president faces growing pressure at home, particularly from his own party, to limit shipments of arms amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Until now, Biden has resisted those calls and staunchly reiterated his support for Israel’s efforts to go after Hamas.
But his administration has repeatedly warned against a looming Israeli invasion of Rafah without a plan for the civilians sheltering in the border city.
Reaction fell largely along partisan lines. Senator Bernie Sanders, a leading critic of Israel’s war, applauded Biden’s move and said Washington should now exert all leverage to demand a ceasefire and “no longer be complicit in Netanyahu’s horrific war against the Palestinian people”.
Two top Republican lawmakers, Mike McCaul and Mike Rogers, in turn called the decision “appalling”.
Biden also revealed he has been working with five Arab leaders that are prepared to help rebuild Gaza and with a transition to a two-state solution. – Telegraph Group