US continues to suspend an arms aid package to Israel

The official briefed reporters on a meeting between US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who said the allies were still discussing a package of heavy weapons that was suspended by President Biden in May over concerns that the weapons could cause more civilian casualties in Gaza.

The official said other US arms aid packages to Israel would continue as Israel fights Hamas in Gaza and confronts Lebanon's Hezbollah on its northern border.

At the end of the visit, Mr. Gallant said that there had been a lot of progress around the issue of US arms aid to Israel, and also said that “many barriers had been removed, bottlenecks had been resolved.”

Mr. Gallant and other U.S. officials have sought to ease tensions after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made recent assertions that Washington was cutting arms aid, leading Biden advisers to express confusion and disappointment about the Israeli leader’s remarks.

In May, the US suspended a package of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs over concerns about the impact they could have on populated areas in Gaza. However, Israel will still receive billions of dollars in other arms aid.

“We are still in discussions to find a solution, but I think the president has expressed concerns about that aid package and those concerns are extremely reasonable,” said the senior US official, who asked not to be identified.

Israel-Lebanon border

The Israeli defense minister's office said that Mr. Gallant also discussed with Mr. Sullivan "Israel's commitment to ensuring the safe return of the Israeli community at the northern border through a change in the security situation in the area."

On Tuesday, Mr. Gallant met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, an official said, and the United States is working to pursue a diplomatic agreement to defuse the situation on the Israel-Lebanon border between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The exchange of artillery and rocket fire between the two sides has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border and the escalation has sparked fears of all-out war breaking out in the region.

“Among the parties that we discussed, Lebanon, Israel, no one wants to have a serious escalation that is not in the interests of the parties and certainly not in our interests,” the senior US official said.

Mr. Gallant’s discussions in Washington also focused on Iran, Israel’s regional rival. Together with Sullivan, he discussed the importance of bilateral cooperation “around Iran’s aggressive behavior and nuclear ambitions.”

Although Israel has expressed growing concern about Iran's nuclear program, the senior US official cited intelligence analysis as saying that Tehran "is not pursuing the procedures and processes that they need to develop a nuclear explosive device."

However, the official also said that Iran has made a number of "provocative decisions" in recent times and will certainly receive a response.

The official said the United States and Israel are working to reschedule a strategic forum on Iran. A meeting planned for last week was canceled after Netanyahu made his critical remarks.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/my-tiep-tuc-tam-ngung-mot-goi-vien-tro-vu-khi-cho-israel-a670343.html