Netanyahu says US arms delay will be resolved ‘soon’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the issue of delayed US arms shipments to Tel Aviv will be resolved “soon.”

Speaking during a weekly government meeting, Netanyahu said there was a “dramatic drop” in the weapons pipeline to Israel, Anadolu news agency reported.

“For many weeks, we appealed to our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did it time and time again. We did this at the senior echelons, and at all levels, and I want to emphasise — we did it in private chambers. We got all kinds of explanations, but we didn’t get one thing: the basic situation didn’t change,” he said.

“Certain items trickled in, but the bulk of armaments were left behind,” he added. “After months with no change in the situation, I decided to express it publicly.”

Netanyahu, however, said he believes the issue will be resolved “soon.”

On Tuesday, the Israeli premier criticised Washington for withholding weapons and ammunition from Israel. The White House responded by cancelling a strategic meeting with Israel.

Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip last 7 October, the US has provided substantial quantities of weapons and ammunition to Israel, according to both American and Israeli sources.

US President Joe Biden previously suspended a weapons shipment to Israel, citing concerns about the protection of civilians. His support to Tel Aviv has angered millions of Americans firmly opposed to Israel’s war on Gaza, including many voters who normally support Biden.

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

The Palestinian death toll from relentless Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since last October has exceeded 37,600, according to the Ministry of Health in the besieged enclave.

More than 85,600 people have also been injured in the onslaught, the Ministry added.

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 (ICJ), which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on 6 May.

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