Netanyahu says US arms delay will be resolved ‘soon’

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the issue of delayed US arms shipments to Tel Aviv will be resolved "soon."

Speaking during a weekly government meeting, Netanyahu said there was a “dramatic drop” in the weapons pipeline to Israel.

“For many weeks, we appealed to our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did it time and time again. We did this at the senior echelons, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize — we did it in private chambers. We got all kinds of explanations, but we didn’t get one thing: the basic situation didn’t change,” he said.

“Certain items trickled in, but the bulk of armaments were left behind,” he added. “After months with no change in the situation, I decided to express it publicly.”

Netanyahu, however, said he believes the issue will be resolved “soon.”

On Tuesday, the Israeli premier criticized Washington for withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel. The White House responded by canceling a strategic meeting with Israel.

Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip last Oct. 7, the US has provided substantial quantities of weapons and ammunition to Israel, according to both American and Israeli sources.

US President Joe Biden previously suspended a weapons shipment to Israel, citing concerns about the protection of civilians. His support to Tel Aviv has angered millions of Americans firmly opposed to Israel’s war on Gaza, including many voters who normally support Biden.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

Over 37,500 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 86,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi