In swipe at Netanyahu, US praises Gallant’s ‘professional approach’ to bilateral talks

The Biden administration hails Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s “professional approach” to the Israel-US security partnership, in a not-so-subtle jab at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who launched a public campaign last week accusing Washington of withholding weapons from Israel.

Gallant criticized Netanyahu earlier today for initiating the spat, saying the slow-down in weapons shipments should have been addressed privately. Netanyahu responded that he had tried to deal with the issue behind closed doors for weeks but didn’t make any progress.

“The US side recognized Minister Gallant’s personal efforts and leadership to support [humanitarian] efforts [in Gaza], which have been extraordinary,” a senior administration official says during a briefing with reporters, on condition of anonymity.