Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed the US is withholding weapons and implied this was slowing Israel's offensive in Rafah. Netanyahu, in a short video, spoke directly to the camera in English as he lobbed sharp criticisms at Biden.
However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the only pause in sending weapons was related to heavy bombs.
“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. That remains under review. But everything else is moving as it normally would," said Blinken.
The latest war of words between the two ally nations signifies their diverging positions on the Gaza war which has entered the ninth month and as per Gaza authorities, has left over 37,000 Palestinians dead.
In October, when the war started following Hamas' attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people, the US promised absolute support to Israel in its bid to wipe out Hamas. The Biden administration supplied massive quantities of weapons and funds to help Israel. But with time, its position shifted by a certain degree. Of late, Joe Biden has made some stinging remarks directed at Netanyahu over his approach to the war in Gaza.
"I think what he's doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach," said Biden. "What I'm calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire," he added.
“The president doesn’t want to see operations in Rafah that put at greater risk the more than a million people that are seeking refuge there," said John Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor.
One of the main reasons for Biden's changing stance is the growing global chorus over human rights concerns. The indiscriminate killing of civilians, including women and children, by the thousands has evoked severe criticism from around the world. Even the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah. Netanyahu, however, did not comply.
Another major worry for Biden is the growing unrest in his country, with students across several top universities protesting against US' support to Israel. Students of Columbia University stood at the forefront of this campaign, which then spread to institutions across the country like wildfire.
In election year, Biden, who is seeking to retain his office, is well aware of the ramifications of the impact of the war on Gaza on his own people. Therefore, the US president has come up with a new three-phase plan. The first phase in Biden's plan for Gaza calls for a "full and complete ceasefire". The second phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages held by Hamas and withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of war-torn Gaza.
The United Nations has adopted the US-backed cease-fire resolution. However, it is too early to concur if the plan would materialise. Both Israel and Hamas have been reluctant to fully endorse it. And with Netanyahu disbanding his war Cabinet, a move that consolidates his influence over the war, and his latest remarks directed at Biden, the odds of a cease-fire remain low.