US cancels strategic meeting with Israel following Netanyahu's criticism of Biden administration

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The US has canceled a strategic meeting with Israel that was scheduled for Thursday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized President Joe Biden's administration for delaying arms shipments to Israel, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

“It's inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel,” Netanyahu stated in a video posted on X Tuesday.

“The meeting was set to take place in Washington on Thursday and was set to focus primarily on the progress of Iran's nuclear program,” the Haaretz reported.

“Instead of the delegation that was supposed to travel to Washington, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, there will only be a meeting between National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan,” the daily reported, citing a senior Israeli official.

President Joe Biden previously halted some shipments of American weapons to Israel, alleging that it did not comply with protecting civilians.

Earlier in June, Israel inked a deal to acquire 25 US-made F-35 fighter jets for a total of $3 billion, according to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Last April, Biden signed a $26.4 billion aid package for Israel, including $14 billion in military assistance.

The Palestinians view the US military support for Israel as an effort to prolong the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

Nearly 37,400 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and more than 85,400 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Over eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala