Israeli Officials To Meet White House Advisors After Netanyahu Appoints US Negative Response

UNSPLASH/Tabrez Syed White House/ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's two main advisers will meet with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan amid tensions between the two allies over Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, a US official said.

Israel's national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Ron Dermer, Israel's minister of strategic affairs, will meet Sullivan when a larger and more formal strategic dialogue' meeting is being rescheduled, according to a White House official who speaks without naming.

As reported by Reuters on Thursday, June 20, White House officials said the wider meeting had not been canceled but details were being finalized.

Meanwhile, gatherings with Israeli officials were held throughout the week at the expert and senior levels on various topics, the official said.

Netanyahu on Tuesday, June 18, issued a English-language video in which he said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had assured the Biden administration was working to lift restrictions on arms shipments to Israel. This statement was rejected by the top US diplomat.

In a rare exposure to high-level diplomatic conversations that are usually private, Netanyahu also told Blinken "unimaginable" in recent months Washington "holding arms and ammunition" for Israel.

The comments sparked a response from the Biden administration.

"We really don't know what he's talking about. We just don't know," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Blinken said arms shipments except for those with large bombs were running as usual considering Israel faces security threats outside Gaza, including from Hezbollah and Iran. He declined to comment on his private conversations with Netanyahu during a press conference on Tuesday, June 18.

The United States in May 2024 suspended shipments of 2,000 pounds and 500 pounds of bombs due to concerns about possible impacts in densely populated areas, but Israel will still receive billions of dollars worth of US weapons.