US halts shipment of 3,500 bombs to 'Israel' amid Rafah invasion: ABC
5 Min Read
Among those transfers from the US to "Israel" are Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM kits.
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Protesters opposing the war hold signs as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrives for a hearing at Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
Citing a senior US official, ABC News reported that a shipment of around 3,500 bombs to "Israel" last week was held up by the US over concerns that they would be used in Rafah where more than one million civilians are sheltering "with nowhere else to go."
The official stated that among those transfers from the US to "Israel" are Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM kits, which comes in the news confirmed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin publicly at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, noting that the Israeli invasion in Rafah could alter US aid to "Israel".
Speaking to the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday, Austin said, "We are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah," stressing that the supplemental funding Congress passed is not affected.
"We've been very clear," he said, "from the very beginning that that Israel shouldn't launch a major attack on Rafah without accounting for and protecting those civilians that are hitting that battlespace. And, again as we have assessed the situation, we paused one shipment of high payload munitions."
Yet, Austin still maintained that the US-"Israel" alliance is "ironclad".
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said today that the Biden Administration is re-examining a shipment of arms to Israel worth about $1 billion. This is due to Israeli operations in Rafah, which some officials believe are putting Palestinian civilians at risk. Austin said that… pic.twitter.com/XiTjJzl60K
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) May 8, 2024
"So Israel's been hit in the last few weeks by Iran. Hezbollah and Hamas [are] dedicated to their destruction. And you're telling me you're going to tell them how to fight the war and what they can and can't use when everybody around them wants to kill all the Jews?" Austin said, completely sidelining the fact that Iran only responded after "Israel" bombed the Iranian consulate in Syria as he also conflated anti-Semitism with any anti-"Israel" criticism that holds the occupation accountable for killing over 35,000 Palestinians.
"And you're telling me that if we withhold weapons in this fight, the existential fight for the life of the Jewish state, it won't send the wrong signal?" he continued.
Read more: Democrats urge Biden to leverage weapon supplies to 'Israel' for aid
The official, who decided to remain anonymous to discuss a policy decision not yet publicly announced, stated in a written statement to ABC News that the decisions made rate due to bilateral talks on the humanitarian needs in Rafah, which "have not fully addressed our concerns."
It is worth mentioning that back in February, Joe Biden asked "Israel" to guarantee that its forces were using American-manufactured weapons in Gaza in conformity with international law, and the occupation signed a letter guaranteeing that in March despite not taking any action.
With that being said, Netanyahu, in his statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day Sunday, stated, "If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone."
Delays and dilemmas
Over half of the shipment paused consists of 2,000-pound bombs, while the other half were 500-pound explosives, the official noted.
"We are especially focused on the end-use of the 2,000-pound bombs and the impact they could have in dense urban settings as we have seen in other parts of Gaza," the official said.
This week, Politico quoted a US official as saying that Washington intended to convey a political message to "Israel" since it has reiterated it cannot back an Israeli attack on Rafah without a proper and realistic humanitarian strategy, which the Israelis have ignored.
The delayed supplies include Boeing's small diameter tail kits for unguided bombs, which are meant to improve target accuracy, according to the source, who also mentioned that numerous direct commercial sales to "Israel" were being expedited.
"We are committed to ensuring Israel gets every dollar appropriated in the supplemental," the official said, confirming that $827 million in new future weapons and equipment for "Israel" has been approved through Foreign Military Financing.
Axios was the first to report that a shipment had been held up.
Since the commencement of the aggression, the area east of Rafah has witnessed heavy artillery shelling and intense gunfire from helicopters, while Israeli warplanes have fired phosphorus bombs, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported, with several massacres committed in the area.
In light of these atrocities, the White House said on Wednesday that talks regarding a potential exchange deal between Hamas and "Israel" are still ongoing and that "a close assessment of the two sides’ position suggests they should be able to close the gap."
While en route to Wisconsin, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre assured reporters aboard Air Force One that President Joe Biden maintains confidence in his team assisting with the negotiations.
