US official says to resume 500lb bomb shipments to 'Israel'
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Shipments of 500lb bombs had been put on hold as the United States had been coming under paramount pressure not to send them.
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President Joe Biden pumps his fist as he poses with NATO leaders for an official photo at the NATO summit in Washington, July 10, 2024 (AP)
The United States will resume its shipments of 500lb bombs to the Israeli occupation, though it will adhere to its decision to refrain from sending 2,000lb bombs over concerns about their use and the scale of the destruction in Gaza, a US official said Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
An administration official said the bombs were "in the process of being shipped," and are expected to arrive in occupied Palestine in the coming weeks.
Axios reported in late June that the Biden administration is set to release a shipment of 500-pound bombs to the Israeli occupation after it had been previously put on hold over concerns about the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) aggression and massacres in Rafah.
Reportedly, the Biden administration is resuming the shipments because the president seeks to mend ties with pro-Israeli lobbyists and supporters amid soaring tensions over the suspension of the bombs package.
In early May, President Biden decided to suspend a weapons shipment to the Israeli occupation, which included 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, due to concerns about the IOF invading Rafah, though the focus was on the 2,000-pound, as they were deemed inappropriate for use in such a densely-populated area.
After a series of talks, the US buckled under the pressure and gave in to the demands of the Israeli occupation, reaching an agreement to release the 500-pound bombs independently from the 2,000-pound bombs.
An Israeli official said the 500-pound bombs would be delivered after the conclusion of the Israeli occupation's invasion of Rafah, which is expected to end in two weeks. The Israeli occupation forces claim these bombs are essential in case of an escalation with Hezbollah on the northern front with Lebanon.
Biden fears criticism
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may take advantage of his upcoming address at the White House to openly attack US President Joe Biden and his administration's handling of the war on Gaza.
As Netanyahu is due to address a joint session of Congress next month, an unnamed US official told Politico on Saturday, "no one knows what he’s going to say."
According to another senior official, Netanyahu "could make it far worse up there in front of Congress" and his most recent call-out of the US "was not helpful at all."
In response to Netanyahu scolding the US for withholding ammunition and weapons from "Israel", White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby expressed that the White House was not aware the video was coming and called it "perplexing to say the least, certainly disappointing."
Politico continued to add that a "diplomatically complicated and politically dicey spectacle for a president running for reelection" may result from the speech if he does openly criticize Biden.
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.
