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How Bad Is the U.S. Weapons Freeze for Israel?

(JNS) Shimon Sherman - The Biden administration confirmed that it was holding up a large weapons shipment over fears it would be used in an ongoing Israeli operation in Rafah in Gaza. Despite the critical strategic importance of the operation, the Biden administration had made clear that they strongly oppose any large-scale Israeli incursion in Rafah and would expand the weapons freeze should Israel seek to root out Hamas from its southern stronghold. However, according to experts, U.S. concerns stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of combat in Gaza. According to John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, "The use of heavy ordinance is consistent with an operation targeting subterranean positions in a populated area. Israel is fighting the most advanced and complex terror tunnel system ever encountered in modern combat, so their disproportionate use of 2,000-pound bombs is a response to their fighting environment." Ephraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy, told JNS, "We can go into Rafah without the Americans, the question is what happens afterward." In case of a second front in the north opening up against Hizbullah, "We need the Americans [in order] to also go into Lebanon, so it is better if we can settle this issue." IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said, "The U.S. has so far provided security assistance to the State of Israel and the IDF in an unprecedented manner during the war. Even when there are disagreements between us, we resolve them behind closed doors. Israel has security interests, but we are also aware of the interests of the U.S., and that's how we will continue to act."
2024-05-16 00:00:00
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