President Joe Biden threatened to withhold U.S. military weapons from Israel if they go ahead with a planned incursion into Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza. Biden issued the threat during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday days after he reportedly stopped a shipment of bombs and other military equipment headed to Israel.
Asked if the 2000-pound bombs that the U.S. has supported Israel with have contributed to the killing of civilians in Gaza, Biden stated, “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as the consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers.”
“And I made it clear that, if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone into Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem,” he said further.
Revealing that the U.S. would only continue to send defensive weapons such as Iron Dome missiles to Israel, Biden continued, “But it’s — it’s — it’s just wrong. We’re not gonna — we’re not gonna supply the weapons and the artillery shells used that have been used.”
Amid the political storm Biden’s threat dredged up in the U.S., Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushed aside the threat in a video in which he vowed that Israel will “stand alone” in its quest to defeat Hamas.
Netanyahu, in his remarks, recalled the 1948 Israeli war of independence, pointing out that Israelis had fought the Arab nations who attacked the Jewish state despite a weapons embargo on them. According to the Jewish leader, the nation defeated the Arab nations then due to their bravery and unity.
“Today, we are much stronger. We are determined, and we are united in order to defeat our enemies and those who want to destroy us,” he said.
“If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone,” he added.
Biden has already received backlash for his threat to withhold military aid to Israel if it attacks Hamas in Rafah. Much of the controversy he has received lies in his own criticism of former President Donald Trump who he said should be impeached back in 2019 for suggesting he would withhold some financial and military aid from Ukraine if the country fails to meet some conditions.
President Trump withheld Congressionally appropriated aid to Ukraine unless they granted him a political favor. It's the definition of quid pro quo.
This is no joke—Trump continues to put his own personal, political interests ahead of the national interest. He must be impeached. https://t.co/puPgevx568
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 19, 2019
Rep. Cory Mills (R-FKL) is willing to see to Biden’s impeachment as he argues that leveraging U.S. provision against Israel’s actions in Gaza is no better than Trump’s handling of Ukraine aid, for which he got impeached by Democrats the first time.
Telling Fox News that he is putting together impeachment articles against Biden, Mills said, “The House has no choice but to impeach President ‘Quid pro Joe’ Biden. As Vice President, Biden was caught threatening to withhold funding and aid to Ukraine unless they fired the attorney general investigating Burisma, a company financially benefiting his son Hunter, not to mention the 10% share for ‘the big guy’ himself.”
“Now, Joe Biden is pressuring Israel, our biggest ally in the Middle East, by pausing their funding that has already been approved in the House, if they don’t stop all operations with Hamas. It’s a very clear message, ‘this for that,’” he added.