Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited to speak in front of the U.S. Congress on July 24. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow delivery of weapons by the U.S. government, leading to explanations from American officials.
In the past week, allegations of delayed weapon shipments have caused turmoil in the relationship between Israel and the White House. However, the Biden administration has emphasized that the U.S. policy of providing weapons to Israel remains unchanged.
According to The Washington Post, officials from both the U.S. and Israel acknowledge that there has been a change in the situation since March, with the U.S. slowing down weapon shipments to Israel as many previously ordered weapons have already been shipped or delivered.
A U.S. State Department official was quoted by The Washington Post as saying, “Our pace is normal, even accelerated, but it is slower compared to the first few months of the war.”
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on Monday (June 24) that Israel may have recently reduced its demand for weapons.
During a press conference, Miller mentioned, “We have paused the shipment of a batch of high-capacity ammunition, which is still under review. We continue to provide Israel with other weapons as we have done for many years because we are committed to Israel’s security, and that has never changed.”
U.S. officials cited concerns over civilian casualties as the reason for delaying the sale of new F-15 fighter jets, precision weaponry, $1 billion worth of mortar shells, military vehicles, and tank ammunition to Israel since May.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu told the cabinet that about four months ago, weapon shipments were suddenly halted when the Israeli military entered the southern Gaza city of Rafah. He mentioned that he made the decision to publicly address the issue to break the deadlock, stating, “I did not act impulsively.”
The Biden administration clarified that the overall policy of providing weapons to Israel remains unchanged.
A White House official stated in a press release, “We have reiterated our position repeatedly and will not respond further to the prime minister’s political remarks.”
Netanyahu’s political rival and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant traveled to the U.S. on Sunday (June 23) to discuss the next phase of the Gaza conflict and the escalation of hostilities along the Lebanon border. Gallant met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA Director William Burns on Monday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Wednesday.
Gallant stated on Wednesday (June 26) that during his meetings with top U.S. government officials, “obstacles have been cleared, and bottlenecks have been resolved” to ensure the supply of ammunition to Israel.
With operations in Gaza slowing down, the need for weapons has decreased, but the Israeli military is preparing for potential conflicts along the northern border. Last week, the Israeli military approved actions against Hezbollah, raising concerns about wider conflicts.