US President Joe Biden has warned that the US may suspend weapons shipments to Israel if it launches an invasion of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah.
The warning came in a phone call between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed the ongoing violence in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of over 200 Palestinians and 12 Israelis.
Biden urged Netanyahu to exercise restraint and to avoid a ground invasion of Rafah. He warned that such an invasion could lead to a significant loss of life and could also undermine regional stability.
Netanyahu did not commit to halting the operation in Rafah, but he said that he would take Biden’s concerns into consideration.
The US is Israel’s largest supplier of military aid, providing the country with over $3 billion in weapons annually. The US has also provided Israel with diplomatic support at the United Nations and other international organizations.
However, the US has also been critical of Israel’s use of force in Gaza. In 2014, the US suspended arms shipments to Israel for several weeks after the Israeli military launched a ground invasion of Gaza that killed over 2,000 Palestinians.
The suspension of weapons shipments would be a significant setback for Israel. It would make it more difficult for Israel to defend itself against its enemies, and it could also damage Israel’s relationship with the US.
It remains to be seen whether Israel will heed these warnings. However, it is clear that the US and other countries are increasingly concerned about the potential consequences of an Israeli invasion of Rafah.
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E. Thompson