The Biden administration has reportedly postponed a previously approved shipment of American-made ammunition to Israel, Israeli officials report, marking the first time since the October 7th Hamas attacks that the United States has withheld aid from the allied nation. While neither government has commented on the situation, the halted shipment comes as the Israeli military gears up for a controversial ground offensive against the Gazan city of Rafah, believed to be the last major Hamas stronghold in the region.
First reported by Axios, Israeli officials say that the shipment was stopped last week without explanation from the Biden administration. The White House declined to offer comment to the outlet, as did the State Department, Department of Defense, and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The delay, as well as the tight-lipped response from US officials, marks a significant departure from the Biden administration’s past pledges of unwavering support for the Israeli war effort. In recent months, President Joe Biden has seen significant pushback within his own party, with his fellow Democrats and a sizeable portion of the party’s voting base condemning Israel and siding with Palestine.
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In April, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other congressional Democrats penned an open letter to President Biden calling for an immediate pause on weapon shipments to Israel after an Israeli airstrike killed several humanitarian aid workers. In the past, Biden has attempted to extract concessions from Netanyahu regarding the further use of American resources.
Much of the Biden administration’s concern stems from the impending Israeli invasion of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are currently sheltering alongside suspected Hamas militants. US officials, along with leaders from the United Nations and Israel’s other Western allies, have warned that a ground campaign in the city could result in a humanitarian disaster. The US has also threatened unspecified consequences if Israel does not proceed with a plan to mitigate civilian casualties, with President Biden prepared to publicly denounce and disavow the invasion.
Related: Israel Military Intelligence Chief Resigns After October 7 “Intelligence Failure”
However, in a speech on Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, Netanyahu doubled down on the plan and seemed to express disappointment at the weakening American support.
“In the terrible Holocaust, there were great world leaders who stood by idly; therefore, the first lesson of the Holocaust is: If we do not defend ourselves, nobody will defend us,” he said. “And if we need to stand alone, we will stand alone.”
On Monday, the Israeli military ordered roughly 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating, circulating pamphlets, making phone calls, and airing Arabic news broadcasts warning of an impending strike. While early reports suggest that airstrikes against targets on the outskirts of the city have already begun, the Israel Defense Forces has not confirmed any additional action.
The developments in Rafah come just after another round of ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas ended at an impasse, at which point Hamas launched a missile strike against an Israeli military checkpoint.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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