Biden’s Warning Over Rafah Sharpens a Problem for Netanyahu
New York TimesMay 09
Biden: US Won't Supply Offensive Weapons for Rafah Assault
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The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden said Wednesday that if Israel invades Rafah, the US will not "supply the weapons and artillery shells used.” Biden said the US is committed to Israel's security, but acknowledged for the first time that US weapons have killed civilians in Gaza.
Biden's comments came after it was earlier reported that the US would not supply Israel with a shipment of 500- and 2k-pound bombs. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed the weapons delay, telling a Senate subcommittee that the US paused “one shipment of high payload munitions."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns and making sure Israel can defend itself from terror. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has gotten out of hand, and the Biden administration won't support further offensive action in Rafah. Netanyahu must keep his promises to work with US allies to resolve this conflict.
Pro-Israel narrative
There's only one word to describe the Biden administration's current policy toward Israel: betrayal. At the climax of this war, Biden has unilaterally decided that the opinions of pro-Hamas fanatics are more important than Israel's legitimate security concerns. Other US allies should take heed.
Pro-Palestine narrative
After over half a year of grinding brutality, the Biden administration is running damage control for its grotesque policies. The US has helped Israel destroy Gaza every step of the way, and now that the deed is done, the US wants to end offensive arms shipments. It's simply too little, too late.