After Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units entered the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, and a warning from the US to stop supplying weapons, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Tel Aviv was ready to carry out the war in the Gaza Strip alone.
"If we have to stand alone, we will do so," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 9.
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| The Israel Defense Forces concentrate forces in southern Israel. Photo: AP |
The Israeli leader reiterated statements he has made several times in recent weeks, facing a wave of international criticism over Tel Aviv’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest comments came after US President Joe Biden on May 8 warned the US to stop providing some weapons to Israel if Tel Aviv continues its large-scale military campaign in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinian civilians are sheltering.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recited Israel's message ahead of Independence Day on May 14, marking the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, and asserted that Israel is much stronger than it was then.
"Today we are much stronger. We are determined and united to defeat our enemies and those who want to destroy us. Our fight will be difficult, but with spiritual strength and God's help, we will win together," the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized.
In the latest statement, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari affirmed that the Israeli army currently has enough weapons to complete the mission in Rafah.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog on May 9 criticized the US's public move to halt the transfer of some weapons to Israel while the two governments were discussing plans to attack the city of Rafah.
“The US decision sends the wrong message to Hamas and our opponents in the region,” Herzog said at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace webinar.
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| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a tough statement on the Gaza Strip issue on May 6. Photo: Reuters |
Ambassador Herzog said Israeli officials had discussed the Rafah operation with US officials for weeks and that it was part of a joint plan with an evacuation plan for civilians.
"I think it is unfortunate that before we finished the discussion, everything was made public in the direction of not conducting a military operation in Rafah until there was a plan to evacuate civilians. I can say that is unacceptable," said Mr. Herzog.
Washington has said it has not seen any plans from Israel to protect more than a million Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. US officials explained that the suspension of a shipment of bombs and ammunition to Israel stemmed from concerns that Tel Aviv would use them in Rafah.
Meanwhile, the US has confirmed it has stopped sending bombs to Israel after it failed to address Washington's concerns about its planned attack on the city of Rafah.
“We did not deliver the weapons shipment last week, which included 1,800 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (226kg) bombs. We have not made a final decision on the next step with this shipment,” a senior Biden administration official said.
The US administration's move comes as Israel begins sending troops into Rafah to launch a major ground offensive into the southernmost city of Gaza, something Washington strongly opposes.
"Those discussions are ongoing and have not fully addressed our concerns. Since April, when the Israeli leadership appeared to be close to making a decision on the Rafah operation, we have begun to carefully review the transfer of weapons that could be used by Israel in Rafah," the US official said.
The US is concerned about the intended use of the 2,000-lb bombs and the impact they could have in densely populated urban areas. The US official also said the State Department is reviewing the transfer of other weapons, including JDAM guided bombs, to Israel.
Tel Aviv on May 7 sent tanks to the eastern Rafah area, controlling the eponymous crossing into the Gaza Strip. However, the White House previously said Israel had pledged that this was a "limited operation".
According to Axios, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to present a report to Congress criticizing Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. Mr. Antony Blinken plans to list a number of incidents in which the IDF was involved, while noting that Washington is not satisfied with the violations committed by the Jewish state.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about existing differences with US President Joe Biden over the situation in the Gaza Strip and believed that those differences could be overcome.
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