Netanyahu says Biden withholding arms amidst Israel's genocidal war on Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed the United States is withholding weapons and implied this was slowing Israel's invasion in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Tel Aviv's carnage has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation for Palestinians.

"It's inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel," Netanyahu said on Tuesday, adding, "Give us the tools, and we'll finish the job a lot faster."

President Joe Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs to Israel since May over mass protests and international outcry about the killing of civilians in Gaza.

However, the administration has gone to lengths to avoid any suggestion that Israeli forces have crossed a red line in the deepening Rafah invasion, which would trigger a more sweeping ban on arms transfers.

Netanyahu also claimed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a recent visit to Israel, said he was working around the clock to end the delays.

Yet Blinken said on Tuesday the only pause in sending weapons to Israel was related to those heavy bombs from May.

"We, as you know, are continuing to review one shipment that President Biden has talked about with regard to 2,000-pound bombs because of our concerns about their use in a densely populated area like Rafah," Blinken said at a news conference.

"That remains under review. But everything else is moving as it normally would."

Netanyahu didn't elaborate on what weapons were being held back, and the Israeli military declined to respond to a request for comment. Ophir Falk, a foreign policy adviser to Netanyahu, deferred questions on details to the US government.

US rejects Israel's claims

The White House rejected the Israeli premier's remarks about the US withholding weapons from Israel, except 2,000-pound bombs.

"We genuinely do not know what he's talking about. We just don't," spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

"There was one particular shipment of munitions that was paused, and you've heard us talk about that many times. We continue to have these constructive conversations with Israelis for the release of that particular shipment that I just mentioned. And don't have any updates on that. There are no other pauses. None. No other pauses or holds in place," said Jean-Pierre.

Two top Democrats in Congress cleared the way this week for a $15 billion US sale of F-15s to Israel to move forward after a delay while one lawmaker sought answers from the Biden administration on Israel's current use of US weapons in Gaza.

Experts say Netanyahu's message — delivered only in English — is likely meant to shore up US arms support and doesn't appear to indicate on-the-ground shortages.