Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accuses Washington of withholding arms but US officials say they ‘genuinely don’t know what he’s talking about’
The White House reportedly called off a high-level meeting with Israel on Iran after Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accused Washington of withholding arms deliveries.
“This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts,” a US official told news website Axios after the Israeli prime minister lashed out at his ally in a video, saying it was “inconceivable” that Washington was withholding weapons and ammunition at a time of war.
The White House expressed surprise at his statement, which came just a week after Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, had offered assurances on the arms supplies issue to the Israeli prime minister during a visit to Jerusalem.
“We genuinely do not know what he is talking about,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary.
Mr Blinken earlier said that one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs was still under review but everything else was “moving as it normally would”.
“The Americans are fuming. Bibi’s video made a lot of damage,” a senior Israeli official also told Axios, using a widely-used nickname for Mr Netanyahu.
Washington’s annoyance at his public criticisms was said to have been conveyed by Amos Hochstein, an envoy sent to the region this week by Joe Biden, the US president, to try to avert a major conflict on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
