A top House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member is accusing President Joe Biden of taking the pressure off Hamas by withholding weapons from Israel.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) blamed Biden for letting Hamas terrorists off the hook after he was asked by CNN News Central co-host John Berman if he agreed with the president’s of withholding weapons from Israel should the country invade Rafah.
“I don’t think he should have done it publicly,” Smith said. “I think the private conversations were very appropriate. I think the other possibility is end-use restrictions. We’ve done that, for instance, in Ukraine, here [are] your weapons, can’t fire into Russia.”
The Democrat also said that it “doesn’t help” Israel, adding that Biden’s move “took pressure off of Hamas, when it shouldn’t have.”
"Because, look, the biggest block to a ceasefire right now is Hamas. And that’s being largely underreported. There has been a ceasefire agreement on the table for months, which the President brokered, to allow for the return of hostages and a temporary ceasefire. Hamas has blocked that and said, no, Israel has to completely withdraw, permanent ceasefire, and oh, by the way, we’re only going to return some of the hostages over an extended period of time. That offer’s been on the table. We have to keep the pressure on Hamas to agree to that ceasefire."
Berman then asked, “So, what then, does making the public threat to withhold weapons do?”
Smith responded, “Well, I think it’s being way overblown, okay, and obviously, there’s politics involved here. The Republicans attack Joe Biden every time he opens his mouth. The notion that this is some kind of huge signal that we’re backing off of our support for Israel, the facts don’t back that up.” Via Breitbart News.
The CNN host was suggesting that Biden revealing he has withheld weapons from Israel somehow disincentivizes Hamas from making a deal.
However, Smith refused to go into further detail, only saying it’s a “small part of the larger problem.”