Additional Coverage:
The ongoing verbal confrontation between Israel and the United States persisted on Thursday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply countered the White House. This was in response to U.S. officials refuting Netanyahu’s assertion that the U.S. is holding back military aid to Israel during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
This exchange was heightened following remarks by White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby during a press call on Thursday, where he labeled Netanyahu’s accusation as “perplexing” and emphasized confusion over it, especially considering the timing just two days after the White House explicitly stated it was baffled by Netanyahu’s remarks.
Netanyahu had earlier in the week released a video claiming that the U.S. administration was withholding essential weapons and ammunition needed by Israel to combat Hamas.
By Thursday, Netanyahu expressed his willingness to endure personal critiques as long as Israel could secure the necessary munitions from the U.S. for its existential battle.
Kirby expressed the administration’s bewilderment and disappointment over Netanyahu’s video, stressing that no other country is more supportive of Israel’s defense, especially against Hamas and regional threats, than the United States. He also pointed out that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had previously confirmed there was no alteration to the U.S.’ stance on the matter, except for a single pause in the shipment of certain bombs over concerns of their use in civilian-dense areas.
Officials familiar with arms transfers between the nations have corroborated Blinken’s assertions, indicating ongoing processing of both existing and new requests from Israel since the conflict’s onset.
Despite Kirby’s critique on the rationale behind Netanyahu’s video, he also noted ongoing dialogues aiming to convey the U.S.’ strong disappointment and concerns regarding the inaccuracies in Netanyahu’s statements.
Even amid these public disagreements, high-level officials from both countries convened in Washington on Thursday to deliberate on the conflict. Kirby confirmed meetings involving Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser, with Israeli officials, indicating a comprehensive discussion agenda including the Gaza conflict, support for Israel, and efforts against Hamas.
Following Netanyahu’s controversial video, a U.S. official shared with ABC News the administration’s feelings of rage and frustration, emphasizing the video’s misleading nature and inappropriateness.
The dialogue occurred in the context of a reportedly cancelled U.S.-Israel meeting on Iran, attributed by officials to the video, though the White House cited scheduling conflicts, promising a rescheduling.
At the State Department, spokesperson Matt Miller announced further discussions between Blinken and Israeli officials including strategic topics like ceasefire efforts, hostage releases, and humanitarian aid facilitation to Gaza.