"I am shocked and sickened by reports that the U.S. is withholding from Israel vital information on the whereabouts of senior Hamas leaders in Gaza," former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren said in a post on X/Twitter. "Is the administration still our ally?"
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President Biden and his senior aides have been making such offers over the last several weeks in hopes they will persuade Israel to conduct a more limited and targeted operation in the southern Gaza city, where some 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering after fleeing there from other parts of Gaza under Israeli orders. Israel has vowed to go into Rafah with “extreme force,” and this week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a number of steps that raised fears at the White House that the long-promised invasion could be materializing.
"When you read between the lines, it's quite clear that the Biden administration is protecting Hamas, is actively withholding information that could bring this war to an end, and is now using vital intelligence as leverage to prevent Israel from conducting an operation Biden doesn't want them to conduct.
"Any intelligence that can help pinpoint the location of Hamas leaders or uncover their terror tunnels should have been promptly shared with Israel. Holding back such critical information is unacceptable, puts Israeli lives at risk, and prolongs the war. Why wasn't this information immediately shared with Israel when it was first uncovered? Why would Joe Biden protect Hamas terrorists at the expense of our ally, Israel?"
Israel War Cabinet Votes to Expand Rafah Offensive After Biden Threatens to Hold Up Aid | National Review . . ."Biden said during a CNN interview on Wednesday that the White House would not supply Israel with some forms of ammunition if Israel pursues a large-scale Rafah invasion. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is prepared to “stand alone” if necessary. Republicans and some Democrats have strongly criticized Biden’s threat and urged him to remain committed to Israel’s effort to destroy Hamas." . . .