Michael Tuchin (R), president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken are seen in this photo in June 2023 at the group’s annual policy summit.    (Photo by Getty Images)

Washington, May 9 (RHC)-- The powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has hit out at U.S. President Joe Biden for his decision to delay arms shipment to Israel.  U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Biden’s decision to hold up delivery of high payload munitions to the Israeli regime was taken over a possible Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, in southern Gaza.  Austin further claimed that Washington allegedly believed such shipment could put Palestinian civilians at risk.

Later in the day, AIPAC, which has the resources to tip elections, spends millions on lobbying, and wields its supporters as a potent grassroots activist army in Congress, denounced the decision as a “dangerous and counterproductive message.”  “It emboldens Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and undermines America’s commitments to all our allies,” it claimed in a social media post.

“Congress must demand the Biden Admin reverse this delay and ensure Israel has what it needs to win this war” further said AIPAC, which has been spending millions of dollars on US elections to defeat candidates critical of the occupying regime.  Delaying this arms transfer is a dangerous and counterproductive message. It emboldens Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and undermines America’s commitments to all our allies.

The development comes as Israel sent tanks into Rafah on Tuesday and seized the nearby crossing into Egypt, which is the main corridor for aid into the besieged Palestinian territory.  In recent days, Israel has been ramping up attacks against Rafah.  About 1.5 million Palestinians are taking shelter in the city.

Israel has vowed for weeks to launch a ground incursion into Rafah.

Israel unleashed its savage campaign in Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

Since the start of the offensive, the regime has killed over 34,700 Palestinians.