The Biden administration’s punitive ‘pause’ of arms transfers for certain types of munitions to Israel, namely 500-pound and 2,000-pound bombs, didn’t last very long. As many predicted from the start, it was a mere slap of the wrist ploy for PR purposes to take some pressure off from both European allies abroad and Progressive Democrats at home in the US.
“The U.S. will soon begin shipping to Israel the 500-pound bombs that the Biden administration had previously suspended, ending a two-month pause it had imposed in a bid to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza, U.S. officials said,” according to fresh Wall Street Journal reporting.
The bombs are expected to arrive in Israel in a matter of weeks, and “are in the process of being shipped,” the report adds. The 2,000-pound bombs Israel also previously had access to are reportedly still on hold, however, and will not be transferred by Washington.
The paused shipment had been withheld two months ago as Israeli ground forces went into the southern city of Rafah, resulting in the displacement of some one million civilians; however, despite calling the Rafah offensive a “red line” – the White House has kept supplying Israel with a variety of other weapons systems.
“Our main concern had been and remains the potential use of 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza,” a US official has confirmed. “Because our concern was not about the 500-pound bombs, those are moving forward as part of the usual process.”
Meanwhile, fighting has returned to Gaza City in the north of the Strip, which had been pacified in the opening months of the conflict.
Israel’s military (IDF) has once again ordered all residents of Gaza City to immediately evacuate to the central part of the Gaza Strip amid heightened operations in the north, where militants have returned. BBC details:
Leaflets dropped by aircraft instruct “everyone in Gaza City” to leave what is described as a “dangerous combat zone” via designated safe routes – marked as two roads that lead to shelters in Deir al-Balah and al-Zawaida.
All of these developments are likely to again intensify internal Democratic infighting in the US. Coupled with speculations over his health and fitness for another term, Biden also faces severe criticism over his handling of Gaza.
Ironically some of these same Progressives have at once accused Biden of enabling genocide while simultaneously urging that he should stay in the race and take the White House for another term…
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the start of this week came out in support of Biden staying in amid an avalanche of calls for him to step aside following his disastrous debate performance.
“I have spoken to the president over the weekend. I have spoken with him extensively,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Monday night. “He made clear then — and he has made clear since — that he is in this race.” She emphasized, “The matter is closed.” Likely she’ll remain quiet on his Gaza policies moving forward as well.