Netanyahu: Biden's Decision to Limit Arms Shipments to Israel is Unacceptable

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, defended his public criticism of the Biden administration for limiting arms shipments to Israel. In an interview published on Friday, he stated that after months of trying to resolve the issue privately, he was compelled to speak out publicly. According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu told the news website 'Punchbowl' that calm conversations between Israeli and American officials, and even between him and Biden, failed to resolve the reduction in arms supply. He added that after months of private discussions that yielded no results, it was necessary to address the issue publicly. These remarks came after Netanyahu criticized the restrictions imposed by the U.S. on the transfer of weapons and munitions in a video statement. He claimed he had raised the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting last week, and Blinken assured him that Washington would address the matter. The White House responded to the video, calling it 'very disappointing' and emphasized that no country has worked as hard as the United States to assist Israel and will continue to do so. Netanyahu replied that he is willing to endure such criticisms as long as Israel receives the munitions it needs from the U.S. The Israeli Prime Minister has not specified which weapons are being withheld by the U.S., but he stated that he is not referring to F-35s or F-16s that will be delivered years later, but rather what is currently needed to achieve a quicker victory in the Gaza war and to prevent a war in Lebanon. An Israeli official told the Times of Israel that Netanyahu's decision to voice his complaints publicly faced opposition from his senior advisors. This move came a week before Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's trip to Washington to resolve the blockage of 2,000-pound bomb shipments, and some analysts believe that Netanyahu's video was aimed at ensuring his credibility in case the U.S. agreed to the transfer. In May, the U.S. halted several billion dollars' worth of arms shipments to Israel, including one shipment consisting of large 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs. The reason for this decision was concerns about the impact these bombs could have in populated areas. Regarding his upcoming speech at a joint session of Congress next month and the absence of many Democrats, Netanyahu stated that he is not partisan and that a broad majority of Americans support Israel. He added, 'I intend to speak to a wide range of Americans and maintain the bipartisan support that is still strong in the U.S.'