Jack Lew, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, believes that the U.S.-Israeli relationship has not fundamentally changed despite the Biden administration’s decision to pause one military aid shipment to Israel.
The administration recently chose not to provide Israel with a weapons package that included thousands of large bombs, citing concerns about how they could be used by the Israeli military. This move marked a significant moment as it was the first time the administration had taken such action since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7. However, it was just one package that was delayed, in contrast to the billions of dollars in military aid the U.S. has historically provided to Israel.
Lew stated in an interview with an Israeli news outlet that “fundamentally, nothing has changed in the basic relationship,” emphasizing that other forms of aid continue to flow between the two countries.
There has been a prolonged disagreement between the U.S. and Israel regarding Israel’s proposed operations in Gaza. The U.S., along with other international organizations and Western leaders, has expressed opposition to a full-scale Israeli ground operation in Rafah, a city where many Palestinians sought refuge after being displaced from their homes due to the war.
Despite the disagreement over the use of certain weapons, the U.S. and Israel plan to continue discussing these issues. The Pentagon confirmed that no additional weapons packages intended for Israel had been paused.
While there are differing opinions on the necessity of a full-scale Israeli operation in Gaza, the U.S. released a report last week suggesting that Israel may have used U.S. weapons in ways that resulted in excessive civilian casualties. However, determining violations of international humanitarian law in the conflict remains challenging.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned ongoing inquiries into incidents that have occurred since October 7, noting that criminal investigations are underway.
Despite the pause in one weapons package, the U.S. could still choose to provide the aid to Israel in the future. President Biden has reaffirmed that defensive military aid will continue to be provided without delay, especially after Israel faced a significant attack from Iran last month.
