In an interview with the US-based Punchbowl news site, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his recent public criticism of the White House, stating it was “absolutely necessary.” The criticism followed what Netanyahu described as delays in US weapons shipments to Israel.
Netanyahu explained that the issue had been developing for several months, with numerous attempts made to resolve it through private discussions. “We began to see significant problems emerging a few months ago. We tried to address them through many quiet conversations between our officials and American officials, and between me and the president,” he said. Despite these efforts, Netanyahu noted that the problem persisted. He raised the issue directly with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Israel, but this also failed to resolve the matter. “I felt that going public was absolutely necessary after months of quiet conversation did not solve the problem,” Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu’s decision to publicly express his concerns highlights the ongoing tensions between the Israeli and US administrations regarding military support. The prime minister emphasized that his actions were a last resort, taken only after all other avenues had been exhausted. The White House was extremely displeased with Netanyahu’s decision to go public, leading the Biden administration to cancel a high-level meeting with Israel in response. Netanyahu’s comments underscore the importance of transparent communication between allies, especially when dealing with critical issues such as national security and defense.
