Israeli reactions to US President Joe Biden's threat not to send shipments of bombs and missiles to Israel if it expands its operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, vary between those who blame Benjamin Netanyahu's government; Because of the state of affairs and the relations between the two closest allies, and those who challenge the United States and confirm that the occupation of Rafah is inevitable, even if using inaccurate weapons.

Today, Thursday, the Hebrew Channel 12 quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official, in response to Biden’s statements, that Israel will occupy Rafah in any case. He explained: “We have sufficient means to enter and occupy Rafah without American assistance. Rafah will be struck in any case. The main problem is in the message that (Biden) is sending to Hezbollah and Iran, as if Israel will arrive without weapons for the confrontation in the north (with Hezbollah in Lebanon). Biden has made a grave mistake, both morally and politically.”

On Wednesday, Biden said that the bombs that the United States supplied to Israel and has now stopped sending to it were used to kill Palestinian civilians, threatening to stop shipments of some weapons to Israel if it decided to proceed with the invasion of the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip. Biden added in an interview with the American CNN network, when he was asked about the bombs, each weighing two thousand pounds (907 kilograms), that Washington was sending to Israel: “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a result of those bombs and other ways in which they are targeted.” Population centers," adding, "Israel will not get our support if it enters the population centers in Rafah."

For his part, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir commented today, Wednesday, through his account on the X platform, that the Hamas movement “loves Biden,” by writing the names of Hamas and Biden in English, with a love heart between them.

In this context, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, said in an interview with "Kan Reshet Bet" radio, affiliated with the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, commenting on Biden's statements: "These are not easy words, and very disappointing to hear from a president whom we have been grateful to since the beginning of the war." Erdan considered that such frank statements “give Israel’s enemies hope to succeed in their goals and encourage them.”

Erdan did not rule out that Israel would expand its military operations in Rafah after Biden’s decision: “Ultimately, these are decisions that the Prime Minister and the War Administration Council will have to take. I am not aware, so far, of offering alternatives to Israel that could lead to the overthrow of Hamas’ rule. And creating a future and a horizon, including of course the release of our kidnappers, without entering Rafah.” Erdan said: "We are not talking about defensive weapons, but rather specific offensive bombs, and in the end the State of Israel will have to do what it believes must be done for the security of our citizens."

Knesset member Danny Danon (Likud) also responded to the US President’s threat, saying: “I remember crises, but I believe that such a crisis, which has major security implications, is something we have not seen since the 1980s.” Danon added, according to what was reported by the Wallah website, today, Wednesday: “The matter is very problematic, but in this matter we should only blame ourselves, because we were late in making decisions, and we listened to the Americans. At the beginning of 2024, when they pressed to slow down the pace of the war, this was a mistake.” We should have continued with all our might to end Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

On the other hand, the head of the Israeli opposition and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, in an interview with Hebrew Radio 103, considered that Biden’s threat is “a result of the mismanagement of the Israeli government. The government has moved the discussions to become public. Netanyahu has always been a rabbit in closed rooms, and he will remain so.” The failure of the debate to become public during the war lies entirely with the government.” Lapid responded to Ben Gvir’s post on “X” by saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu should dismiss him immediately.

In response to the Biden administration: We will bomb Gaza with imprecise weapons

Representative Tali Gottlieb (Likud) commented during a speech in the Knesset, yesterday, Wednesday, on the United States’ announcement to freeze sending weapons to Israel, saying that the Israeli army must blow up Gaza with inaccurate weapons and restore “Israel’s deterrent power.”

Gottlieb explained, "The United States is threatening us by not giving us accurate missiles. I have news for the United States: We have inaccurate missiles, and we have the right to defend ourselves. Perhaps instead of using an accurate missile and destroying a specific room, I will use inaccurate missiles and demolish ten buildings."

Gottlieb continued: “If you think that the United States is helping the Israeli deterrent force, you are wrong. The matter began with the issue of the planes that arrived on the first day (of the war), and its message was that Israel cannot alone. The matter continued later through (American to Israel) dictates.” That you do not do this or that. We need to do what is right for the security of the State of Israel and what is right for the steadfastness of the State of Israel.”

It is noteworthy that although the Israeli occupation army announced that its forces took control of the eastern neighborhoods in Rafah, closest to the border, and occupied the Rafah crossing, Biden considered that Israel “has not yet entered Rafah.”

Last week, the United States suspended sending an arms shipment to Israel, after it failed to address Washington's "concerns" regarding the Israeli occupation army's plans to attack Rafah, the city located in the far south of the Gaza Strip and crowded with displaced people, according to what a US official announced, the day before yesterday, Tuesday. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed yesterday, Wednesday, that Biden's decision to suspend an arms shipment to Israel was taken in the context of the latter's plans to launch an attack on Rafah, which Washington opposes, without new guarantees to protect civilians.