Netanyahu vows to 'stand alone' if Biden halts arms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands alone

To avoid being "turned out of office," Netanyahu "needs to keep the 'total victory' myth alive"

(Image credit: Menahem Kahana / AFP via Getty Images)

published 10 May 2024

What happened

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone Thursday after President Joe Biden threatened to withhold certain American offensive munitions if Israel launches a full ground invasion of Rafah, the Gaza city where 1.3 million Palestinians have sought refuge. Israel says Rafah is Hamas' final military stronghold.

"If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone," Netanyahu said. "If necessary, we will fight with our fingernails." Israel has "what we need" in terms of munitions "for the missions in Rafah," said military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

"Hamas ❤️ Biden," posted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, one of the ultra-nationalists in Netanyahu's Cabinet who has threatened to bring down the government if Israel doesn't invade Rafah. To avoid being "turned out of office," Netanyahu "needs to keep the 'total victory' myth alive — and that is only possible by avoiding a deal with Hamas," Anshel Pfeffer said for Haaretz.

Cease-fire negotiations in Cairo were paused Thursday. The departing Israeli and Hamas delegations are looking to "blame the other guy" if talks fail, and "the only party that's really in a hurry is Biden," longtime U.S. Mideast negotiator Aaron David Miller said to the New York Times. "Sure, he's worried about Palestinian deaths if Bibi goes big in Rafah" but "also knows it will make any negotiation … all but impossible."

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Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.