OAN’s Brennan Cooney
12:18 PM – Friday, May 10, 2024
Democrat Representative Adam Smith has blasted the Biden administration’s warning to Israel against an offensive in Rafah, saying the White House is not being clear about its restrictions.
During an interview on Thursday, Smith (D-Wash.) who is ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, reiterated that the group behind fighting in Gaza is Hamas islamists.
Smith said it is not the policy of the administration to cut off aid to Israel despite Biden telling CNN as much in an interview the day prior. In the interview, Biden threatened that if Israel does launch an offensive into Rafah he will withhold weapons.
“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem,” Biden said to CNN reporter Erin Burnett.
This comes after Israel rejected an Egyptian and Qatari authored ceasefire Hamas agreed to, saying the decision did not meet their core demands.
Israel officials have described Biden’s comments as “disappointing and frustrating.”
“Delaying arms transfers to Israel is dangerous,” the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said in an action alert to its members. “America must continue to stand firmly with our ally Israel as it works to defeat Hamas and defend its citizens.”
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