As the Biden administration has been waffling on its commitment to Israel in its war against Hamas, a new report states that the White House asked the departments of State and Defense to name all scheduled or pending weapon transfers to Israel.
According to Axios, U.S. officials indicated that the move was not a sign of an “imminent move by the White House to slow-walk or suspend any weapons transfers to Israel.” A source told the outlet that the request was routine but also was the first time the White House had made it since the October 7 Hamas massacre of over 1,200 Israelis, adding that the Biden administration wanted to check if any issues needed White House “deconfliction.”
On February 8, Biden issued a National Security Memorandum which stated that the United States had to “obtain credible and reliable written assurances from a representative of the recipient country as the Secretary of State deems appropriate that the recipient country will use any such defense articles in accordance with international humanitarian law and, as applicable, other international law,” thus leaving Israel vulnerable to “international law.”
The Biden administration reportedly wants Israel to give a signed letter of assurances by the middle of March. “Secretary of State Antony Blinken has until March 25 to certify that Israel has signed the commitment sought by the memorandum. If the certification is not given, U.S. weapons transfers to Israel would be suspended,” Axios reported.
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Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been frantically trying to impede Israel’s efforts to enter Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold; President Biden reportedly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to proceed with Israel’s attack on Rafah. In early February, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby threatened, “Military operations right now would be a disaster for those people, and it’s not something that we would support.”
The Wall Street Journal editorial board noted in a mid-February article titled, “Taking Rafah Is Essential to Defeat Hamas” that “It’s the terror group’s last stronghold. Why is Biden opposed to Israel capturing the city? Ever notice how it is always deemed a humanitarian imperative to let Hamas survive? The diplomatic pressure on Israel to stay out of Rafah, Hamas’s final stronghold, has become enormous.”