President Joe Biden's administration is threatening the Israeli government with a full arms embargo if they don't "improve" the humanitarian situation -- sparked by Hamas' decision to start a war on October 7 -- in the Gaza Strip within 30-days.
In a letter sent to a number of Israeli ministers Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the demand.
So here is the administration's formal threat of an arms embargo against Israel.
— Caroline Glick (@CarolineGlick) October 15, 2024
Notice, they allude to National Security Memo 20. As @Tamir114 reported on Channel 14 yesterday, under international law, belligerents are permitted to lay siege on their enemy - particularly… pic.twitter.com/HY1AjmIjlP
The letter conveniently ignores that the majority of humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza, including by the United States through air drops and a disastrous, now defunct pier, is stolen by Iranian backed Hamas.
Video evidence shows Hamas took over 47 of 100 aid trucks that entered Gaza last Tuesday.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) October 14, 2024
After taking some for themselves, Hamas sells the rest to Palestinians with a markup. It’s become their main income source. https://t.co/XtA1dVN61s
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman is weighing in.
"This is just repugnant. Israel is fighting a war on seven fronts against terrorist forces that show no respect for humanity, law or morality, and Biden/Harris/Blinken/Austin are threatening to hold off assistance to Israel unless Israel increases “humanitarian aid” that invariably just extends the war and is hijacked by Hamas," Friedman posted on X. "As a cruel addendum, the US is demanding that Israel cooperate more fully with the International Committee of the Red Cross when the ICRC has not once — NOT ONCE — visited the civilian hostages held in barbaric conditions by Hamas."
"Make no mistake here — this is just political gamesmanship by the Biden/Harris administration to pick up a few more votes among its woke supporters. It is a cynical but deadly gambit that will make a hostage deal even less likely and lead to more carnage and instability. Amateur hour!" he continued.
Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, is calling the move "deeply disturbing."
"The Biden Administration’s warning to suspend arms to Israel unless the 'humanitarian situation' in Gaza improves is deeply disturbing. Israel strongly denies that any crisis exists and works daily to ensure a fully adequate food supply to Gaza. Though I’ve spent my career striving for bipartisanship, at this fateful time, I cannot keep silent. The administration’s willingness to abandon Israel in the middle of a war for our nation’s survival casts doubts on America’s dependability as an ally and its commitment to defend the Free World," Oren posted on X.
You have to read this all the way to the end to understand that this letter from the US Secretary of State and US Secretary of Defense shows more concern for the fate of Hamas terrorists detained on the battlefield than the fate of American citizens held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. https://t.co/kb8F74BoHA
— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) October 15, 2024