US to resume previously suspended bomb shipments for 'Israel': Axios
4 Min Read
The United States will be releasing a huge shipment of 500 lb bombs to the Israeli occupation as Biden seeks to mend ties with pro-Israelis.
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President Joe Biden arrives at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, June 27, 2024, in Marietta, Georgia, en route to Atlanta to attend the presidential debate. (AP)
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, as reported by Axios.
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.
Despite the progress, the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs remains under review.
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.
Latest attack on Biden
Speaking in English, Netanyahu issued a video in which he said 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.
Privately, Biden's team has been furious and shocked by Netanyahu's ingratitude. Some US officials who viewed the video said Netanyahu appeared "disturbed.”
