US pauses shipment of payload munitions due to concerns over Rafah

[Almost Heaven]

The United States paused one shipment to Israel of payload munitions due to concerns over Rafah, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington on Wednesday.

“We’ve been very clear,” Austin said, “that Israel shouldn’t launch a major attack in Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians in that battle space.”

“After assessing the situation, we paused one shipment of high-payload munitions,” he said.

“We've also been very clear about the steps that we want to see Israel take” to protect civilians in a major combat situation, he explained. The US doesn’t want such a major IDF combat operation to take place, but if it does proceed, “our focus is on making sure that we protect the civi

Other arms shipments currently unaffected by decision​

Austin stressed that no final decision had been made regarding that shipment or other arms transfers to Israel.

He said the pause in arms did not impact the $26 billion in supplemental aid that Congress approved last month.

The US, he said, remains committed to supporting Israel’s security and its right to self-defense.

Austin: US pauses shipment of payload munitions due to concerns over Rafah

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin clarified that the decision referred to only one shipment of arms and that no final decision had been made regarding other arms transfers to Israel.

www.jpost.com

 

[Armor of Light]

Our govmnt is meddling to save terrorists and it should back off, the price will be heavy Israel can dispatch the remaining terrorists quickly (or they surrender) with minimal civilian casualties and loss.

 

[Andy C]

I would like to think that the shipment being withdrawn is a mostly non essential, and the public only know because the Biden WH wants to appear hampering Israel. In the past, this would happen quite frequently in order to put forth a false narrative that we are cracking down, when really the other shipments more than made up for the one withdrawn. However, with this admin, anything is possible as they are trying to play both sides in relation to support, or non support for Israel.

Total weak US leadership.

 

[Amethyst]

Gen 12:3 | I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse

I wonder if part of the cursing itself is becoming more and more blinded to reason and sanity.

 

[1LoverofGod]

US State Dept says it's reviewing other arms packages to Israel​

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - The United States is reviewing other weapons packages to Israel after it paused one shipment of near-term assistance, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, as Washington remained concerned over Israel's possible Rafah offensive.

Complete Story:

US State Dept says it's reviewing other arms packages to Israel

The United States is reviewing other weapons packages to Israel after it paused one shipment of near-term assistance, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, as Washington remained concerned over Israel's possible Rafah offensive. Speaking at a daily press briefing...

finance.yahoo.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

**Israel's Response:

Report: Israeli government deeply frustrated with Biden over freezing of arms shipments
Senior Israeli official says Jerusalem is seething over Biden administration’s decision to halt sale of smart bombs to the IDF in the middle of Israel’s war with Hamas.

By World Israel News Staff

The Biden administration’s decision to freeze planned arms shipments to the IDF in the midst of Israel’s ongoing war against the Hamas terror organization has ratcheted up tensions between Washington and Jerusalem, according to an Israeli official.

In a report published Wednesday, NBC News cited an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity claiming that the Netanyahu government is deeply frustrated with the White House’s halt on arms shipments to the Jewish state.

The report came just hours after an Israeli army spokesperson tried to downplay the rift between the White House and Israel, saying the two sides would settle any disagreements “behind closed doors.”

More

Report: Israeli government deeply frustrated with Biden over freezing of arms shipments

Senior Israeli official says Jerusalem is seething over Biden administration's decision to halt sale of smart bombs to the IDF in the middle of Israel's war with Hamas.

worldisraelnews.com

 

[mattfivefour]

Smart bombs hit their targets with precision; therefore they save innocent lives. Why would the Biden administration wish to prevent Israel obtaining such precision munitions?

And if the unintentional and accidental loss of life to civilians is a war crime, then in every war in which America has been involved the US has been guilty of war crimes. And the same can be truly said of every other nation on the face of this earth. The conditions being placed on Israel by America and the world are idiotic ... and impossible.

America's leadership should just shut up and get out of the way. They're just making themselves look worse and worse. And putting themselves in grave danger of God moving swiftly against them.

 

[Margery]

That recent funding thingy that went thru the US govt had aid to Ukraine and I think Gaza, and when it was held up, they threw in funding for Israel so the Republicans would pass the bill. Once the bill passed allowing Biden to toss money at Ukraine and Muslim hotspots like Gaza, they backed out of the deal where Israel was concerned. Backstabbing Israel AND the Republican party.

This funding is given to Israel with 2 conditions:

1 that it be spent on weapons that the US arms manufacturers make thus improving the balance of trade in America's favour. No problem there! Win win for both. By the way it's always had the wording that shipments would NEVER be delayed or withheld when Israel is under attack or defending itself. BIG problem there.

2 That Israel would not bother creating it's own weapons industry to serve itself (and anyone else it might sell to). Now that IS a problem for Israel specifically.

This funding began with the understanding that Israel would be helping keep things stable in the Middle East, taking the pressure off America and reducing the need of the American taxpayer to fund a greater fleet of warships, army and airforce etc in the region as the alliance would take the place of that.

My understanding of that situation came from Caroline Glick and JNS or Jews News Services. I've heard bits of it from others but the history of this agreement was something Caroline supplied in case anyone wonders where I got the above.

 

[Hol]

By the way it's always had the wording that shipments would NEVER be delayed or withheld when Israel is under attack or defending itself. BIG problem there.

 

[Margery]

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/10/republicans-biden-israel-weapons-pause

There's bipartisan pushback against Biden. Not just the Republicans are mad at Biden over this.


"Republican lawmakers are pushing legislation aimed at stopping President Biden from withholding weapons shipments to Israel.
Why it matters: The administration's move to block the arms sales has drawn backlash from pro-Israel lawmakers in both parties.

• Most recently, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said in a statement on Thursday he is "deeply concerned" about the decision "as well as the President's comments about withholding security assistance to Israel."

What's happening: The administration has paused transfers of ammunition, 500-pound bombs and 2000-pound bombs – a way of signaling U.S. concerns about a potential invasion of Rafah, per Axios' Barak Ravid."




And I was wrong, apparently the funds for Israel to buy the weapons Biden is holding hostage were previously okayed and were not part of the recent bill. I quote this article here:

• "The bill would only apply to weapons approved in the $95 billion foreign aid package that Congress passed last month, however. The shipments Biden has paused were authorized and appropriated by earlier legislation."

So apparently any funds in the recent bill are ok to buy future weapons, if Israel were to require them in future (always with the idea that Biden signs off on them actually getting those future weapons.

But weapons needed right now, that were bought and paid for already, THOSE are being held up. Biden has backstabbing lying and deception down to a fine art there!