Netanyahu defiant after US threat to stop weapons
By Mike Wendling
Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel can “stand alone” after the US warned it could halt arms shipments if the Israeli prime minister ordered a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza.
“If we need to … we will stand alone. I have said that if necessary we will fight with our fingernails,” he said.
US President Joe Biden said he would withhold some arms including artillery shells if Rafah was invaded.
The US has already paused a shipment of bombs over fears of civilian deaths.
Mr Netanyahu on Thursday however recalled the war of 1948 to dismiss warnings from the US, Israel’s closest ally.
“In the War of Independence 76 years ago, we were the few against the many,” he said “We did not have weapons. There was an arms embargo on Israel, but with great strength of spirit, heroism and unity among us – we were victorious.”
He said that Israel had “much more than our fingernails” if Mr Biden stopped arms shipments.
The comments came hours after the UN said more than 80,000 people had fled Rafah since Monday amid constant bombardment and as Israeli tanks massed close to built-up areas.
