BidNeti
© APUS President Joe Biden • Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu
President Biden is vowing to withhold weapons from Israel if the Jewish State goes forward with its invasion of Rafah, Hamas' last stronghold in Gaza.

Biden told CNN's Erin Burnett in an interview released Wednesday:
"Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers. I made it clear that if they go into Rafah - they haven't gone in Rafah yet - if they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities - that deal with that problem."
Biden clarified that the U.S. will continue sending defensive weapons to Israel, like supplies for Israel's Iron Dome.
"We're going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently. But it's, it's just wrong. We're not going to - we're not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells."
Israel has taken military action in Rafah but, according to Biden, they have yet to cross his red line in entering population centers.

Biden has been criticized by Republicans after it was revealed last week that his administration was stalling its shipments of weapons to Israel even after Congress passed its foreign aid package.
Rafah tanks
© IDFIsraeli forces enter Rafah Crossing
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war appears to be making a major impact on the upcoming presidential election. Biden has faced intense backlash from the progressive left for providing aid to Israel, leaving voters in critical swing states like Michigan threatening to stay home in November or to cast their ballot for another candidate.

Anti-Israel protests have erupted across the country, particularly on college campuses, where chants like "Genocide Joe" are heard.
Banner
© Kent Nishimura/Getty ImagesBanner hangs from GWU Law School's Lisner Hall, George Washington University • May 3, 2024 • Washington D.C.
When asked if he hears the message of college protesters, Biden responded "absolutely."
"There's a legitimate right to free speech and protest. There's a legitimate right to do that. There's not a legitimate right to use hate speech. There's not a legitimate right to threaten Jewish students. There's not a legitimate right to block access to class. That's against the law.

"If you look at the data, these demonstrations are real, but they're not nearly, I mean-" Biden said before immediately pivoting to his recent Holocaust speech.