U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to appear before Congress on Friday, against the backdrop of the Israel-U.S. crisis, which reached a new peak on Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden's dramatic threat not to supply Israel with bombs and missiles should it decide to launch a broad military operation in Gaza’s Rafah.
At the time, Washington asked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to sign a memorandum confirming that Israel complies with the principles of international humanitarian law. Israeli officials believe that Blinken will say that Israel is still doing so today, in light of the facilitation of humanitarian aid entrance to the Strip, but how is this related to the military aid crisis?
Israel’s security officials want to believe that it’s possible to contain the American arms embargo only to the IDF’s campaign in Rafah – an optimistic scenario Jerusalem wishes for. "After all, weapons and ammunition have no color or smell," an Israeli security official said. "If they stop the arms shipments – they’re also withholding them from use in Beit Hanoun, the Zeitoun neighborhood and Lebanon. This is a severe blow to Israel’s security."
He estimated that while the weapons would be delivered to Israel, the Americans would prohibit their use only in Rafah itself which, according to the acquisition agreement, Washington can do. That is, weapons and arms shipments to Israel will resume, but the U.S. will enforce a clause that prohibits their use in the southernmost city in the Strip.
Israel is also concerned that harsh statements against the Biden administration, including Thursday’s tweet by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir against Biden ("Hamas ❤️ Biden"), will undermine this partial solution to the crisis.