Washington DC, United States

The White House, on Thursday (Jun 20) expressed deep disappointment over criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the United States over weapons deliveries. This comes amid Israel fighting war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. 

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White House calls criticism ‘vexing’

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described Netanyahu’s allegations that the US is “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel” from his country in recent months as “vexing” and “deeply disappointing.”

“Those comments were deeply disappointing and certainly vexing to us, given the amount of support that we have and will continue to provide,” Kirby told journalists.

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He added, “No other country is doing more to help Israel defend itself against the threat by Hamas and, quite frankly, other threats that they’re facing in the region.” 

Earlier this week, the Israeli PM released a video saying that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had assured him that the Biden administration was working to lift restrictions on arms deliveries to Israel. However, Washington has not officially confirmed this exchange. 

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During the conversation, which is typically kept confidential, the Israeli PM also told the US Secretary of State that it was “inconceivable” that Washington has been withholding weapons from Israel in the past few months. 

Biden administration left fuming

A report by Axios citing two US officials said the White House cancelled a high-level US-Israel meeting on Iran that was scheduled for Thursday after the Israeli PM’s remarks. 

The US President Joe Biden’s top advisers were reportedly enraged and baffled by the video – a message that was delivered to Netanyahu hours after the clip was published – and called off the meeting. 

“This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts,” the American official told Axios. 

The report citing an Israeli official said that the “Americans are fuming. Bibi’s video made a lot of damage.” 

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, on Wednesday (Jun 19) said only one weapons shipment had been paused since the beginning of the war and that they have sent billions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel so far. 

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“We genuinely do not know what he is talking about,” she said. Last month, Washington paused a shipment of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs due to concern over the impact they could have in densely populated areas in Gaza. 

Israel doubles down on criticism

On Thursday, Netanyahu appeared to double down on his remarks and said that he is “prepared to suffer personal attacks provided that Israel receives the ammunition from the US that it needs in the war for its existence.”

However, this is not the first time that Biden and Netanyahu have gotten into a spat amid the ongoing war.

Earlier this month, the US president said there is “every reason” for people to believe that Netanyahu is prolonging the Gaza war for his own political preservation.

The remarks came as Biden, ahead of the presidential election, is facing growing criticism for supporting Israel amid the mounting death toll and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. 

(With inputs from agencies)