Israel slams Biden’s arms halt threat as “very disappointing”

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, expressed his disappointment regarding U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent remarks about halting specific arms supplies to Israel if it proceeded with an invasion of Rafah in Gaza. Speaking to Kan radio, Erdan conveyed his dismay at Biden’s statement, highlighting the close relationship Israel has maintained with the U.S. since the war’s onset.

The controversy arises from Israel’s aggressive military tactics in Rafah, including the use of tanks and targeted raids, which Israel justifies as necessary actions against Hamas’s final strongholds, despite the heavy presence of displaced Palestinian civilians.

In a stark warning during a CNN interview, President Biden expressed his reluctance to provide weapons that could be used in urban conflicts, especially criticizing the resultant civilian casualties in Gaza. “It’s just wrong,” Biden stated, referring to the civilian deaths caused by bombings.

Erdan argued that Biden’s comments might embolden Israel’s adversaries, such as Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, by providing them with a sense of hope for success against Israel. He questioned how Israel could achieve its objectives if restricted from accessing critical areas like Rafah, which purportedly hosts numerous terrorists, hostages, and Hamas leaders.

Erdan stressed that the discussion was about specific types of offensive weaponry and insisted that Israel must take whatever actions it deems necessary to ensure the security of its citizens.

According to reports from AFP journalists, there was heavy shelling in Rafah early Thursday, and the Israeli military stated that it was targeting Hamas positions in central Gaza as well. Earlier in the week, Israeli forces had taken control of Rafah’s border crossing into Egypt, a crucial point for aid entry into the besieged area of Gaza.