Netanyahu on US threat to withhold arms: Israel will fight with its 'fingernails' if needed

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the tensions between Israel and the United States over Israel's military operations in Gaza, particularly the potential invasion of the city of Rafah. It covers Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defiant stance against U.S. threats to withhold offensive weapons, as well as the humanitarian concerns and impact on aid operations in Gaza.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Netanyahu's Stance and U.S. Threats

1. What is Netanyahu's response to the U.S. threat to withhold offensive weapons?

• Netanyahu vowed that Israel will "stand alone" if needed and fight with its "fingernails" if necessary, indicating that Israel may proceed with the Rafah offensive despite U.S. opposition.
• Netanyahu said "if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails."

2. How does Israel's military spokesman respond to the potential arms holdup?

• Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said "The army has munitions for the missions it plans, and for the missions in Rafah, too -- we have what we need," downplaying the practical impact of any arms holdup.

[02] Humanitarian Concerns and Impact on Aid Operations

1. What are the humanitarian concerns regarding a potential Rafah invasion?

• Aid groups say a Rafah invasion would be catastrophic, as most of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians already suffer from hunger, and northern Gaza is experiencing "full-blown famine."
• The U.N. says most of the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians suffer from hunger, and that northern Gaza is already experiencing "full-blown famine."

2. How has the limited operation in Rafah already impacted humanitarian operations?

• The capture of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing has thrown humanitarian operations into crisis, complicating efforts by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to broker a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
• The closure of Gaza's two main crossings this week has severely hindered humanitarian operations, and the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says it only has enough stocks to maintain operations for a few days and has started rationing.