US calls Israel’s criticism of arms deliveries “deeply disappointing”

The White House expressed disappointment over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent criticism of the US arms deliveries to his country, and described the statements as irritating.

“Those comments were deeply disappointing and certainly upsetting to us, given the amount of support we have and will continue to provide,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday.

In a video statement released Tuesday, Netanyahu said that while he was grateful for the United States’ support for Israel during its ongoing war against Hamas, “it is inconceivable that in recent months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel.” “.

The United States, however, said there is only one shipment of 900-kilogram (2,000-pound) and 200-kilogram (500-pound) bombs that were stopped in May by concerns about how they could be used in densely populated parts of Gaza. Israel was still set to receive billions of dollars in American weaponry.

“There is a shipment of high-load munitions that we have put under review and that remains under review. That is not a bottleneck. That is a policy review,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Thursday.

Meanwhile, a group of 30 United Nations experts warned Thursday that arms and ammunition manufacturers who continue to transfer weapons to Israel could be complicit in human rights abuses and violations of international law.

Kirby told reporters that the United States has communicated its displeasure directly to Israel.

“I think we have made very clear to our Israeli counterparts through various means our deep disappointment in the statements expressed in that video and our concerns about the accuracy of the statements made,” Kirby said. “The idea that we had somehow stopped helping Israel with its self-defense needs is absolutely inaccurate.”

Netanyahu appeared to entrench himself further Thursday, saying in a statement that he is “prepared to suffer personal attacks as long as Israel receives from the United States the ammunition it needs in the war for its existence.”

The dispute comes as White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken planned to meet with Netanyahu’s two top advisers to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza.

During the night and until Thursday, the Israeli forces attacked areas in central and northern Gaza, killing at least 14 people and wounding dozens more, doctors said.

Also on Thursday, the humanitarian aid began to flow again over the US military’s floating dock off the coast of Gaza and into the Palestinian territory, the Pentagon said. The pier was re-attached to the shore on Wednesday after poor sea conditions forced it to be temporarily removed last week.

“I can confirm that US Central Command personnel re-anchored and restored the temporary pier to Gaza Beach yesterday,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. Israeli forces helped prevent US troops from being on the ground.

The total amount of aid brought to Gaza using the dock has exceeded 4,100 metric tons, or 9 million pounds, the spokesperson said.

Biden announced the plan in March build the dock for aid deliveries to Gaza. Israel has blocked or significantly reduced aid via land routes, exacerbating the risk of famine in the enclave.

The war broke out when Hamas launched a attack in southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage, according to Israeli counts.

Israel’s military response in Gaza has destroyed much of the territoryhas killed more than 37,400 people and injured more than 85,600, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

[Parte de la información de este informe proviene de Reuters y Agence France-Presse].

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