On Wednesday, the White House abruptly cancelled a high-level meeting on Iran with Israeli officials scheduled that was slated for Thursday. The cancellation followed the release of a video by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he accused the U.S. of withholding military aid. This information comes from two U.S. officials who spoke to Axios.
Here is what you need to know
The video, released on Tuesday, enraged President Biden’s top advisers. Hours after its publication, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein personally conveyed their anger to Netanyahu in a meeting. The White House, determined to demonstrate the consequences of Netanyahu’s remarks, decided to cancel the planned meeting.
“This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts,” a U.S. official said.
A senior Israeli official echoed the sentiment, stating, “The Americans are fuming. Bibi’s video made a lot of damage,” using Netanyahu’s nickname.
Confusion and Frustration
Some Israeli officials were already on their way to Washington when they were informed of the meeting’s cancellation. Two U.S. officials confirmed to Axios that the decision to cancel was a direct response to Netanyahu’s video. However, a third official claimed that the meeting was postponed due to scheduling conflicts rather than being outright cancelled.
Netanyahu’s Claims
In the video, Netanyahu, speaking in English, declared, “It was inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel.”
White House’s Response
Publicly, the White House expressed confusion over Netanyahu’s claims. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that only one weapons shipment had been paused since the conflict began, with billions of dollars worth of arms continuing to flow to Israel without interruption.
“We genuinely do not know what he is talking about,” she said.
Privately, the Biden administration felt a mix of anger and shock at what they perceived as Netanyahu’s ingratitude. According to one U.S. official, Biden’s team was deeply troubled by the Israeli leader’s public accusation.
The Bigger Picture
The cancellation of the meeting highlights the strained relations between the U.S. and Israel. The fallout from Netanyahu’s video serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance in U.S.-Israel relations and the potential repercussions of public disputes between allies.
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