House Oversight Republicans have called on the Biden administration to clarify the timing of a pause in weapons shipments to Israel. In a letter to national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Republicans expressed concern over the administration’s decision to withhold military assistance to Israel and accused them of playing political games with taxpayer-funded aid. The letter also mentioned that the administration purposefully kept news of the weapons pause hidden from the public until after President Biden’s speech on Holocaust Remembrance Day. The group demanded a briefing from the White House Security Council and requested all documentation related to the decision. The deadline for the information was set for May 24.
President Biden had stated in an interview with CNN that offensive munitions would cease to be sent to Israel if they proceeded with their plans to invade Rafah in the Gaza Strip. This statement sparked criticism from Republicans and differing reactions from Democrats. Despite the controversy, the Israeli war cabinet voted to expand their ground operation in Rafah, potentially crossing Biden’s undisclosed red line on the issue. The Israel Defense Forces have already launched an invasion of Rafah and severed the border crossing with Egypt.
