Blinken: No U.S. President Has Acted to Defend Israel Like Biden

Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that Israel must provide a plan regarding the protection of Palestinian civilians in Rafah, as well as its post-war strategy for Gaza. Mr. Blinken made these remarks on Sunday in an interview with CBS and noted that Israel has not yet presented a credible plan. Regarding the suspension of certain arms shipments to Israel, he mentioned that President Joe Biden has been 'clear' in his private discussions with Israeli officials. He stated that what the U.S. has been transparent about is that if Israel begins a large military operation in Rafah, there are specific arms systems that Washington will not supply. The Biden administration has stated that it does not support Israel's attack on Rafah, where many war refugees from other areas of Gaza have sought shelter, and has suspended the shipment of certain arms to Israel. In his Sunday interview, Mr. Blinken also mentioned that in a recent report released by the U.S. government regarding Israel's use of weapons in the Gaza war, some concerns were raised about Israel's use of arms. In some cases, Israel acted in ways that are inconsistent with international humanitarian law. However, when asked by the host if he could conclude that Israel violated U.S. laws and arms-sharing agreements, he responded negatively, stating that the conditions of war are complex, as Israel is facing an enemy that hides behind and under civilians in hospitals, schools, mosques, and apartments. The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that it is also essential to note that Israel has its own auditing processes to address these issues, and hundreds of investigations are ongoing. He stated that, unlike most other countries in the world, there are criminal investigations taking place in Israel regarding this matter. He asserted that Israel has the ability, tools, and measures for self-correction. Blinken emphasized that 'no president' in the U.S. has acted as much as Joe Biden to defend Israel. He said that from day one, Biden has been determined to support Israel in its self-defense and to ensure that an event like 'October 7' does not happen again. Mr. Blinken noted that when the Iranian government launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel, including the use of 'ballistic missiles,' the U.S. participated for the first time in 'active defense' of Israel and formed a 'coalition of countries' to defend Israel against that attack. However, he stated that Washington has told Israel that in the absence of a credible plan for civilian protection, it will not support the Rafah operation, a large military operation. Regarding the arms shipments that have been suspended, the Secretary of State said the United States is in discussions with Israel. Concurrently, Israel has deployed its forces towards northern Gaza during the Rafah operation. Netanyahu: 'We have no option but to destroy Hamas, we will overcome our differences with the U.S.' The U.S. reiterates its commitment to Israel's security: the suspension of arms shipments is 'not a policy change.' The U.S. has stopped sending 'certain arms' to Israel; efforts are being made to prevent a full-scale attack on Rafah.