Biden halts arms shipments to Israel amid rising conflict in Gaza, stirring up controversy and changing tides in the US-Israel relationship.

President Joe Biden has recently signed a law that allocated funds for both the delivery of bombs to Israel and to aid Palestinian civilians affected by those same bombs. Initially showing strong support for Israel, the United States has now attempted to strike a delicate balance. Biden has distanced himself from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but diplomatic efforts have not been enough to prevent a possible ground offensive in Rafah.

As a result, the president has decided to follow in the footsteps of President Ronald Reagan by halting the shipment of weapons to Israel. The decision to stop arms shipments comes after Biden expressed concerns about civilian casualties caused by the bombings. While the United States will continue to provide defensive weapons like the Iron Dome system to Israel, offensive weapons will not be supplied if there is a major ground invasion of Rafah.

This move marks a significant shift in the historically strong alliance between the United States and Israel. The decision has drawn mixed reactions, with some Democratic senators supporting it as a first step towards reevaluating military aid to Israel. Pressure on Biden to reassess the situation in Gaza is mounting both internally and externally, with protests against the bombings and calls for accountability adding to challenges facing