Bibi Blames Biden-Era Arms Limits for Soldier Deaths, Sparking US Backlash

By Staff, Agencies

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that a partial US arms “embargo” under former President Joe Biden contributed to the deaths of soldiers during the war with Hamas, triggering sharp criticism from Biden-era officials.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that after the Gaza war began in October 2023, “Israel” paid “very heavy prices,” arguing that at a certain stage the army “didn’t have enough ammunition.”

Without naming Biden directly, he claimed that “heroes fell” because they lacked what they needed, adding that “part of that absent ammunition was because of the embargo.”

Netanyahu said the experience strengthened his push to expand “Israel’s” domestic defense industry to ensure “maximal independence” and prevent future shortages of weapons or ammunition.

The remarks drew an angry response from former US officials. Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to Biden, said Netanyahu was “not telling the truth and ungrateful,” stressing that Washington provided more than $20 billion in military assistance and extensive political and military support. “The only appropriate response was thank you,” Hochstein said.

While Biden strongly backed “Israel” after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, he later halted some weapons shipments in 2024, particularly large aerial bombs, citing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza.

Biden also criticized Netanyahu’s conduct of the war and called for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid.

Netanyahu rejected those criticisms, saying they were “hurting ‘Israel’.” He has since enjoyed warmer ties with US President Donald Trump, though disagreements have also surfaced between the two.