‘Give us the tools’: Netanyahu claims the US is withholding arms from Israel

‘Give us the tools’: Netanyahu claims the US is withholding arms from Israel
The Age/Alisa Odenheimer/19.6.2024

New York: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the US must keep supplying weapons for its war against Hamas, accusing President Joe Biden of withholding arms as the country is “fighting for its life”.
In an English-language video statement released Tuesday, Netanyahu said he told US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during his visit to Israel last week that he appreciates Washington’s support but that it’s “inconceivable” any weapons or ammunition have been withheld in the past few months.
“During World War II, Churchill told the United States: ‘Give us the tools, we’ll do the job,‘” Netanyahu said. “And I say, give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.’”
While the US has paused one shipment of large bombs, the White House denied any other weapons are being withheld. “We genuinely do not know what he’s talking about,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “We just don’t.”
The Biden administration has become increasingly critical of Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip to root out Hamas, the group designated a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union that killed more than 1200 Israelis and abducted more than 250 on October 7, triggering the ongoing war.
More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Biden has withheld the shipment of 2000-pound (900 kg) bombs to signal his frustration and said last month that he would halt additional shipments of offensive weapons if the country launched a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah. Israeli tanks were reported to have reached the centre of the town May 28, in what the military called a limited and precise set of operations.
Netanyahu didn’t specify which weapons or ammunition supposedly had been withheld by the US, Israel’s biggest arms supplier. The Israeli leader added that Blinken assured him the administration is working “day and night” to remove any bottlenecks. His office didn’t respond to follow-up questions.
Blinken told reporters on Tuesday that aside from the one shipment of heavy bombs, “everything else is moving as it normally would move”.
US officials have also said privately that Israel has enough weapons for its Rafah campaign, as well as an additional stockpiles if the conflict in the north with Hezbollah escalates.
Two key Democratic holdouts in the House and Senate signed off on a major arms sale to Israel, including 50 F15 fighter jets valued at more than $US18 billion, following pressure from the White House and pro-Israel advocates, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Netanyahu is scheduled to address the US Congress in late July.
In a related matter, the $US230 million temporary pier that the US military built to distribute aid to people in the Gaza Strip has failed in its mission, aid organisations say told the New York Times, and it will probably roll up operations earlier than originally expected.
The pier has been used for only about 10 days, after rough seas damaged it, and it was detached for security reasons, the Times reported.