400+ arms shipments arrived in 'Israel' since war began: Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
24 Jun 2024 00:11
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The military affairs correspondent for the Israeli Channel 12 says that there had been a slowdown, not a stoppage in the delivery of such shipments.

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Military members hold the US and Israeli flags ahead of an arrival ceremony for then-Israeli Security Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Pentagon. (AP)

There is a shipment of 3,000 munitions for "Israel" personally halted by US President Joe Biden, and Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington in an attempt to resolve this issue, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the US in a video statement of "withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel." In response, US officials said they were not aware of what the Israeli premier was referring to, and White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said Netanyahu's remarks were "perplexing to say the least, certainly disappointing."

Nir Dvori, the military affairs correspondent for the Israeli Channel 12, highlighted that more than 400 weapon shipments have arrived in "Israel" by air and sea since the start of the war, as per the Israeli security and military establishment's figures.

According to Dvori, in the initial months of the war, the US shipments arrived at a very high pace, corresponding with the use of munitions in Gaza and other areas. He noted that later, there had been a slowdown, not a stoppage in the delivery of such shipments.

The Israeli correspondent suggested that raising the issue of munitions publicly with the United States is problematic as entities in the region are evaluating "Israel's" deterrence based on its close ties with the Americans.

Netanyahu on Thursday touched again on the US munitions file, saying that he was "willing to absorb personal attacks if that is what it takes for Israel to get the arms and ammunition it needs in its war for survival," as per a post by his office on X.

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister said he hoped that a disagreement with the US over weapons delays related to the war on Gaza would be resolved soon.

"About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but... the basic situation didn't change," he told a cabinet meeting.

"In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future," he added.

Netanyahu indicated that senior Israeli officials lobbied their US counterparts at "the highest levels... at all levels" for speedier weapons deliveries.

"After months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression," he added.

The United States has clarified that it has paused only one shipment of heavy bombs due to concerns that "Israel" might use them in the densely populated southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The White House further explained that all other shipments have proceeded as scheduled.