Senior member of the Senate’s powerful Foreign Relations Committee slams Biden administration for holding back arms sales to Israel, ‘encourage Hamas to protract the war.’
By World Israel News Staff
A senior Republican lawmaker took aim at the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza Tuesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the White House of withholding military aid from the Jewish state in wartime.
Senator Jim Risch, a Republican representing Idaho and a senior member of the Senate’s powerful Foreign Relations Committee, spoke out Tuesday on the Senate floor amid reports the Biden administration has frozen the planned sale of F-15 fighter jets to Israel.
In May, the White House confirmed that it has frozen the planned transfer of aerial munitions to Israel, citing disagreements over the IDF’s Rafah operation.
“The Biden administration continues to try and have it both ways by claiming credit for security assistance to Israel that it has not provided,” Risch said.
Risch lambasted the White House for interfering with Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, and demanding it “get out of the way.”
“Meanwhile, those of us in Congress with jurisdiction over weapons sales have done our jobs and approved two separate tranches of arms transfers to Israel for formal notification to Congress, to include ammunition, vehicles to protect Israeli soldiers, and nearly $20 billion in F-15 aircraft.”
“It is past time the administration move to formally notify the F-15 and ammunition sales and remove its existing hold on precision guided munitions. Micromanagement of Israel’s war on terror must end – let’s get out of the way.”
“The implications of the Biden administration’s conditional support for our closest ally in the Middle East are not lost on Hezbollah as its attacks from Lebanon increase in intensity and scale. Hamas continues to drive a wedge between the United States and Israel and isolate Israel from the international community.”
“By signaling to terrorists that American support for Israel is conditional, we encourage Hamas to protract the war in Gaza, furthering risk to civilians, and incentivize Hezbollah to continue its attacks on Israel from the North.”
“The Biden administration’s fecklessness now courts a two-front war – the consequences of which would be disastrous for both Israel’s security and America’s standing in the world as a reliable partner.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a video statement in English, recalling a recent conversation with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which Netanyahu pressured the Biden administration to stop withholding military aid.
“I said it’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel,” said Netanyahu.
“Israel, America’s closest ally, fighting for its life, fighting against Iran and our other common enemies.”
“Secretary Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks. I certainly hope that’s the case. It should be the case.”