Several lawmakers criticized President Joe Biden for threatening to withhold weapons and artillery if Israel invades Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold.
During an interview with CNN reporter Erin Burnett, Biden said he had “made it clear” that if Israel moves to invade Rafah, the United States would not supply them with “the weapons.”
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah, they haven’t gone into Rafah yet, if they go into Rafah — I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem,” Biden said.
Biden said during the interview that “civilians have been killed in Gaza as the consequence” of bombs and artillery supplied to Israel.
President Joe Biden speaks before signing a $95 billion Ukraine aid package that also includes support for Israel, Taiwan, and other allies on April 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The United States, Biden said, would ensure that Israel was “secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks.”
In response to Biden’s statement, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) issued statements disagreeing with Biden’s comments.
“This is totally unacceptable. I’m old enough to remember when Democrats impeached another President for supposedly withholding foreign aid that had been approved by Congress,” Pence wrote in a post on X. “Stop the threats Joe. America Stands with Israel!”
This is totally unacceptable. I’m old enough to remember when Democrats impeached another President for supposedly withholding foreign aid that had been approved by Congress. Stop the threats Joe. America Stands with Israel!🇺🇸🇱 https://t.co/sqU1G2ngDY
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) May 8, 2024
Fetterman, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which left 1,200 people dead and more than 200 people taken as hostages, also responded by disagreeing with Biden.
“Hard disagree and deeply disappointing,” Fetterman wrote.
Hard disagree and deeply disappointing. pic.twitter.com/96aTeEvgPt
— Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) May 8, 2024
Mitt Romney labeled Biden’s comments as being a “terrible message to Israel” and the allies of the U.S. as well as the rest of the world.
“We stand by allies, we don’t second guess them,” Romney wrote. “Biden’s dithering on Israel weapons is bad policy and a terrible message to Israel, our allies, and the world.”
We stand by allies, we don’t second guess them. Biden’s dithering on Israel weapons is bad policy and a terrible message to Israel, our allies, and the world.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 8, 2024
Other politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) expressed support for Biden’s comment, stating that this “shift to include Israel in US standards makes the world safe and our values clear.”
“President Biden enforcing conditions on US military aid and holding the Israeli gov to the same bar we hold all our allies to is the responsible, secure, and just thing to do,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “@POTUS’s historic shift to include Israel in US standards makes the world safer and our values clear.”
President Biden enforcing conditions on US military aid and holding the Israeli gov to the same bar we hold all our allies to is the responsible, secure, and just thing to do.@POTUS’s historic shift to include Israel in US standards makes the world safer and our values clear. https://t.co/O2hOPiqIcs
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 9, 2024
“This is what young people across the country were protesting for and finally the needle has moved in a significant way,” Omar wrote in a post on X. “I hope we see more progress, but don’t ever let people tell you that your voices are meaningless and your actions are worthless. The arc of what is possible is always within us to bend.”
This is what young people across the country were protesting for and finally the needle has moved in a significant way. I hope we see more progress, but don’t ever let people tell you that your voices are meaningless and your actions are worthless. The arc of what is possible is… https://t.co/1zXh3E96Sy
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 9, 2024
Biden’s comments come after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Rafah toward the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which is used as the entry point for humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip.
The attack left four soldiers dead and ten others wounded.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) urged residents in Rafah to seek safety and evacuate, dropping leaflets and using text messages and other forms of communication to warn residents to leave. David Mencer, Israel’s spokesman warned that this was not a bluff, adding that they “cannot” leave Hamas in power.
“The purpose of the operation in Rafah is to do exactly what the IDF has stated,” Mencer explained. “Rafah contains the last four battalions of Hamas. We cannot leave them in power: it’s been stated quite clearly that if we do that they will simply retake Gaza. And consequently, they will attack us again, because that’s precisely what they have said.”
On Tuesday, Israel sent tanks into Rafah and seized control of the border crossing it shares with Egypt.
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