Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony marking Memorial Day for fallen soldiers of Israel’s wars and victims of attacks, at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl military cemetery, May 13, 2024. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep concern over a significant reduction in arms supplies from the United States amid ongoing hostilities with Hamas in Gaza.
Netanyahu emphasized that his foremost duty is to equip Israeli forces with the best means to defend against threats.
“I greatly appreciate the support of President Biden and the US administration for Israel,” Netanyahu began, acknowledging initial American aid during the conflict. “However, about four months ago, there was a dramatic decline in the supply of arms from the United States to Israel,” he added.
Netanyahu disclosed that despite repeated requests to expedite shipments, the situation has not improved. “I decided to speak out publicly based on years of experience and knowledge that this step is essential to break the deadlock,” he asserted, anticipating backlash for his critique, much like previous stances against the Iran nuclear deal and Palestinian statehood.
The Prime Minister’s remarks come after a video he posted last week, which criticized delays in US weapons deliveries, drew strong reactions from Washington. Specifically, Netanyahu referenced the suspension of a shipment of remote-controlled bombs intended to aid in operations against Hamas, citing concerns over civilian casualties in Rafah, Gaza.
In response to Netanyahu’s allegations, the White House defended its continuous support, noting that arms deliveries had been ongoing since the escalation of tensions on October 7.
However, the fallout from Netanyahu’s remarks led to the cancellation of a high-level forum on Iran, where U.S. security officials were slated to participate.
The Israeli Prime Minister concluded, “As Prime Minister of Israel, my role is to do everything to ensure that our heroic fighters have the best means of combat. I hope this issue will be resolved soon, but our commitment to Israel’s security remains unwavering.”