Netanyahu claims resolution of US arms delay soon
3 Min Read
After being scolded by the US over his video, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that high-ranking Israeli officials advocated with their US counterparts at various levels to expedite the delivery of weapons shipments.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting in Al-Quds on August 27, 2023. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Sunday that the dispute with the United States over delays in weapon deliveries 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 said during 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 claimed.
He mentioned that high-ranking Israeli officials advocated with their counterparts in the United States at various levels to expedite the delivery of weapons.
"After months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression," he said.
Why it matters
This comes shortly after Netanyahu criticized the Biden administration in a video on June 18. Simultanously, the White House responded with a cancellation of a high-level meeting, and reprimanded Netanyahu through US envoy Amos Hochstein.
According to two US and Israeli sources, President Biden's top advisors were infuriated by the video. US envoy Amos Hochstein conveyed this anger directly to Netanyahu during a meeting hours after the video's release. Subsequently, the White House escalated its response by canceling the meeting scheduled for Thursday June 20.
"This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts," a US official said, while a senior Israeli official said, "The Americans are fuming. Bibi's video made a lot of damage." It is worth noting that some Israeli officials were already en route to Washington when the meeting was canceled.
Speaking in English, Netanyahu stated in the video that it was "inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel."
Publicly, the White House expressed bafflement. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out that only one weapons shipment had been paused since the war began, while billions of dollars worth of weapons had continued to flow unimpeded.
"We genuinely do not know what he is talking about," she said.
Relations between Biden and Netanyahu's teams are more strained now than at any point in the eight months since the war in Gaza began on October 7. This is the second time a meeting of the Iran strategic dialogue was canceled at the last minute.
