White House denies Netanyahu’s claim that the US is withholding weapons supply from Israel

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said that she did not know what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was talking about when he said that it was “unbelievable” that the United States was withholding weapons from his country.

During a press conference on Tuesday, the spokeswoman added, “We generally do not know what he is talking about. A certain shipment of munitions was temporarily stopped, and you have heard us talking about that many times.”

She reiterated what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier on Tuesday that there had been “no change” in the US position regarding the shipment.

Blinken said, in a press conference at the State Department with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, that the United States continues to review the shipment due to concerns about its possible use “in a densely populated area like Rafah.” Still, the United States will make sure that Israel has “What she needs to defend herself effectively.”

He added that the decision to suspend the shipment of bombs to Israel – announced by US President Joe Biden in early May – will remain in place until this time.

On the other hand, the Israeli Prime Minister considered it “unreasonable” for the United States to stop the shipment temporarily. Still, he said that Blinken informed him that “the administration is working day and night to remove these” obstacles.

Blinken should have specifically answered whether Netanyahu’s statements accurately represented their conversation.

We are, as you know, continuing to review one of the shipments that President Biden talked about regarding the 2,000-pound bombs because we were concerned about their use in a densely populated area like Rafah, Blinken said.

He pointed out that “it is very important to remember that our security relationship with Israel goes beyond Gaza.”

He said: “Israel faces many threats and challenges, including in the north from Hezbollah, from Iran, from the Houthis in the Red Sea, and from various groups allied against Israel and in many cases controlled by Iran.”

He added: “So the president has been very clear from day one that he will do everything in his power to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these threats effectively.