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President Biden Makes It Clear: If Israel Invades Rafah The US Will Halt Arms Shipments

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In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, President Joe Biden stated that the United States would cease supplying offensive weapons to Israel if it proceeds with its planned invasion of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. This announcement on Wednesday marks the first time conditions have been placed on aid to Israel and signifies a significant shift in relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Biden told Burnett “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers.” “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,” Biden said.

The President made it clear that the United States remains committed to protecting Israel but not being part of any attack on Rafah. “We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently,” he said, adding, “We’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells.”

In the past, the U.S. has provided significant military aid to Israel, a practice that has intensified following the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of around 250 individuals by militants. The most evident signs of the increasing rift between President Biden’s administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government are Biden’s recent remarks and his decision to halt a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel. On Wednesday, Biden stated that Israel’s conduct around Rafah had not yet breached his red lines, but he reiterated that Israel must take greater measures to safeguard civilian lives in Gaza.

Rafah, currently sheltering 1 million displaced Palestinians, stands as one of the Gaza Strip’s last safe zones. Humanitarian organizations express grave concerns that a comprehensive Israeli incursion into the city could lead to extensive civilian casualties. The European Union, Canada, and the United Nations have all urged Israel to refrain from entering Rafah and to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

A debate has arisen within the Biden administration regarding the shipment of 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) each and 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds (225 kilograms) each, as disclosed by a senior U.S. administration official under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject. The primary concern of the U.S. centers on the larger explosives and their potential use in densely populated urban settings.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indeed identified Rafah as a significant target in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The situation in the region is complex, and there are several factors at play.

  1. Ceasefire Proposals and Israeli Rejection:
  2. Rafah’s Significance:
  3. Netanyahu’s Dilemma:

In summary, the situation in Rafah remains tense, with conflicting interests and humanitarian concerns. Israel’s actions in the region continue to impact civilians and exacerbate the conflict1. If you’d like more information, feel free to explore the news sources linked below:

This is an ongoing story and will be updated.

Jim Williams reports on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, providing both written articles and video coverage on a range of issues in the Middle East.

James Williams: Jim Williams is the Washington Bureau Chief, Digital Director as well as the Director of Special Projects for Genesis Communications. He is starting his third year as part of the team. This is Williams 40th year in the media business, and in that time he has served in a number of capacities. He is a seven time Emmy Award winning television producer, director, writer and executive. He has developed four regional sports networks, directed over 2,000 live sporting events including basketball, football, baseball hockey, soccer and even polo to name a few sports. Major events include three Olympic Games, two World Cups, two World Series, six NBA Playoffs, four Stanley Cup Playoffs, four NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship Tournaments (March Madness), two Super Bowl and over a dozen college bowl games. On the entertainment side Williams was involved s and directed over 500 concerts for Showtime, Pay Per View and MTV Networks.
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