Biden's billion-dollar weapons program for Israel comes back to haunt him

In a separate interview with MSNBC, he said an invasion of Rafah would constitute a “red line” in his relationship with Netanyahu.

To many, Israel apparently crossed this red line on May 6 when it launched what it called “targeted” ground operations east of Rafah.

Since then, at least 45 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more injured in airstrikes, which sparked a devastating fire in Tal al-Sultan in southern Gaza on Sunday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Gaza.

Rafah was home to more than a million Palestinians who had fled Israeli attacks elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.

“No policy change”

The Israeli military confirmed that the airstrikes killed two Hamas militants and said it was investigating civilian casualties, the Associated Press reported.

On Tuesday, the White House said the assault did not violate Biden's previous warnings against launching a large-scale attack targeting population centers. U.S. officials on Monday noted Netanyahu's comments that the civilian casualties were a “tragic mistake.”

State Department spokesman Matt Miller said the United States was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life in Rafah” but “has not made any changes to our policy.” .

“We made it clear that if there was a large-scale military operation, there would be some change. But right now, it's not change. I mean, we support – as we do have always done – their ability to attack self-defense “Hamas terrorists. »

A billion-dollar arms deal

The statement suggests that Biden will continue to move forward with a billion-dollar arms program for Israel. Congress must still be formally notified of the sale and approve it.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the package could include $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in military vehicles and $60 million in mortar shells.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Senator Chris Van Hollen said Biden should cease military assistance to Israel “until we know that all of the president's requests, including regarding Rafah and urgent delivery humanitarian aid, will be respected.

“A partnership should be a two-way street, not a one-way blank check,” he added.

As BI previously reported, the arms deal could be seen as an attempt to repair Biden's relationship with Netanyahu and put an end to accusations that the United States is emboldening Iran.

But the Biden administration has applied only minor sanctions to Netanyahu's government as the death toll in Gaza mounts. For example, Biden previously held back a bomb delivery before announcing that the planned arms deal would go ahead.

Biden looks weak

Andrew Payne, a US foreign policy expert and lecturer at City University London, told Business Insider that Biden's handling of the Gaza war could hurt his chances in the next election.

“No one comes out and says, 'I didn't like the arms deal in May, so I guess I'll go with Trump.' Instead, foreign policy works like this: you tend to vote for candidates who project images you like. And in the American context, people want their commanders in chief to be tough, competent and strong. “, Payne said.

Payne's comments resonated analysts who said that Biden the handling of the war is one of the issues responsible for eroding his support among younger voters.

“I think Biden's problem is that for several months now his policies have failed to change Israeli behavior, which makes him look relatively weak,” Payne added.

Dave Harden, former mission director at the US Agency for International Development in the West Bank and Gaza, told the BBC in March, Netanyahu “almost treats Biden as some sort of inconsequential second secretary of a low-ranking European power.”

“The gap between Israel and the United States,” he said, “is only widening.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.