A senior Israeli official has confirmed to Israeli media that the US suspended a shipment of Hellfire missiles to Israel amid worsening ties over fighting in Gaza.
The decision to hold off on the transfer was most likely on grounds of increased diplomatic tension, the official says, corroborating a Wall Street Journal report earlier in the day that claimed the White House and State Department had been angered by a transfer of arms to Israel and had ordered greater oversight into future sales.
Hellfire missiles (photo credit: CC BY Wikipedia)
The report claimed that US-Israeli tensions are at a record high, with US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to hold a “particularly combative phone call on Wednesday” and officials on both sides resorting to name-calling.
The accounts sparked an internal debate between Israeli politicians, while others, such as former US ambassador Michael Oren, attempted to patch up the divide.
“It’s true that occasionally there are disagreements, but it’s important to keep the disputes behind the scenes and not air the dirty laundry. The relations between the president and prime minister are critical, and it’s best to avoid harming the ties,” he said.
— Marissa Newman
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