Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Netanyahu's actions allegedly 'deepening rift with US', officials say

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Axios
  • 19 Jun 2024 23:42
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

US officials say Netanyahu's actions with regards to the Biden administration are damaging US-Israeli relations and making matters worse with Lebanon.

Listen
  • x
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony at the Nahalat Yitzhak Cemetery in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, June 18, 2024 (AP)
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony at the Nahalat Yitzhak Cemetery in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, June 18, 2024. (AP)

Senior US officials have expressed concerns over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions, which they claim are straining the alliance between the Israeli occupation and the United States, Axios reported on Wednesday.

This tension, the officials warn, could erode the Israeli deterrence capabilities, especially in the eyes of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Iran.

According to US officials, the latest discord between Netanyahu and the Biden administration is obstructing joint diplomatic efforts to mitigate tensions on the Lebanese border and prevent an all-out war.

Three Biden administration officials have voiced their concerns that Netanyahu's actions have been creating a rift between the two allies, thereby undermining the Israeli occupation's deterrence in the region, particularly from the perspective of Hezbollah and Iran.

"It is hard to fathom how a video like the one Netanyahu released on Tuesday helps with deterrence. There is nothing like telling Hezbollah that the US is withholding weapons from Israel, which is false, to make them feel emboldened," one official said, decrying Netanyahu's stunt.

Netanyahu unsatisfied

Speaking in English, Netanyahu claimed 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.

Related News

'Israel' in talks to displace Palestinians to South Sudan

Israeli maritime police deliberately kill Palestinians off Yafa coast

"We genuinely do not know what he is talking about," she said.

Privately, Biden's team has been furious and shocked by Netanyahu's ingratitude. Some US officials who viewed the video said Netanyahu appeared "disturbed."

The video was published while President Biden's envoy, Amos Hochstein, was traveling between occupied al-Quds and Beirut to ease tensions on the northern front. Hochstein was scheduled to meet Netanyahu on Tuesday evening to brief him on discussions with Lebanese officials and explore ways to avoid war.

According to three sources familiar with the matter, the meeting between Hochstein and Netanyahu was "tense." Hochstein and the US Ambassador to the Israeli occupation reportedly spent a significant portion of the meeting delivering a stern message to Netanyahu about the crisis he had provoked.

All US officials involved expressed confusion about Netanyahu's objectives, aside from scoring domestic political points. Some speculated that Netanyahu's remarks might be part of a credibility contest with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, who is expected to visit Washington next week.

Meetings canceled

The White House canceled a high-level meeting with "Israel" on Iran, scheduled for Thursday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on Tuesday saying the US was withholding military aid, two US officials tell Axios. 

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.

"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.

According to the Israeli official, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will still meet his Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi, who has already departed for the US. Additionally, Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant is scheduled to visit early next week, Israeli officials say.

Relations between Biden and Netanyahu's administration are more strained now than at any point in the eight months since the war on Gaza began on October 7. This is the second time a meeting of the Iran strategic dialogue was canceled at the last minute.

  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Palestine
  • Occupied Palestine
  • Lebanon
  • Gaza
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS