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Biden Admin Threatens Israel with Arms Embargo Over Gaza Aid
Egyptian trucks carrying humanitarian aid make their way to the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, at the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel, May 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
JNS.org – The Biden administration has stepped up pressure on Jerusalem to meet a host of demands focused on vastly expanding the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
On Oct. 13, Axios reported that Washington had sent a letter to Israel containing an ultimatum: Improve the humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian enclave within 30 days or risk a hold-up in the supply of U.S. weapons.
On Oct. 15, the White House confirmed the contents of the letter.
John Kirby, the White House national security communications adviser, told reporters at a briefing that the letter was prompted by a “recent decrease in humanitarian assistance reaching the people of Gaza.
“I can confirm that Secretary [of Defense Lloyd] Austin and Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken co-signed the letter you’re talking about, and it was sent to their Israeli counterparts,” said Kirby. “I would note that the Biden-Harris administration made a similar request for concrete measures with respect to humanitarian assistance back in April with a similar letter, and that letter did receive a constructive response from the Israelis.”
According to Axios, the letter spelled out 15 policy changes required to avoid an embargo.
“Failure to demonstrate a sustained commitment to implementing and maintaining these measures may have implications for US policy under NSM-20 [National Security Memorandum-20] and relevant US law,” it went on to say.
A US official told Axios that if Jerusalem fails to meet the demands by Nov. 13, military assistance could be suspended, a step the Biden administration has not taken but which is gathering more support at the State Department.
The article also notes that it could be the first major decision taken by the Biden administration following this Tuesday’s presidential election.
It comes against the backdrop of a major Israeli operation to prevent Hamas terrorists from regrouping in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, with the United States concerned that not enough humanitarian aid is being delivered to that area during the operation.
Blinken and Austin reportedly raised demands for more aid in recent conversations with Israeli officials.
“Both of us and our teams are tracking very carefully Israel’s responsibilities to meet the letter of the law … with regard to the provision of humanitarian assistance,” Blinken said at a press conference with Austin on Oct. 31.
They stressed that Israel had made progress, but that more needs to be done.
“It’s not enough to get trucks to Gaza. It’s vital that what they bring with them can get distributed effectively inside of Gaza,” said Blinken.
Two Israeli officials and two US officials told Axios that State Department officials had “difficult” meetings and phone calls in recent days with their Israeli counterparts.
Concerns were also reportedly raised about Jerusalem banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The Knesset on Oct. 28 made it illegal for UNRWA to operate in Israeli territory, and for state officials to cooperate with the agency.
The two laws were passed by large majorities following the exposure of UNRWA staff complicity in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, and despite pressure from the United States and other countries against the move.
Blinken spoke on Friday with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer about “de-escalating” the situation in the Middle East, including measures to increase humanitarian aid efforts in the Gaza Strip.
“The secretary emphasized the importance of ending the war in Gaza and bringing all of the hostages home, as well as charting a path forward in the post-conflict period that provides governance, security, and reconstruction,” according to a State Department readout.
Blinken, moreover, “discussed the dire status of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, reviewed steps that have been taken to improve the situation, and urged further actions to surge aid to civilians.”
In the Friday discussion between Blinken and Dermer, the former reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and Iran-backed proxy groups.”
The officials spoke about a diplomatic resolution in Lebanon that would permit Lebanese and Israeli civilians to return safely to their homes in the south and north of their respective nations.
Dermer is tasked with drafting the Israeli response to the Blinken-Austin letter, according to Axios, which is expected to be finalized and sent after the U.S. election.
While US officials said that Israel has taken steps to implement some of the American demands, they suggested that others will be hard to meet, including the entry of 350 aid trucks into Gaza each day by Nov. 13. Also, several of the U.S. demands need to be approved by the Israeli Cabinet, which is not expected to happen until after the U.S. elections.
Samantha Power, administrator of the US Agency for International Development, pressed for more humanitarian aid to Gaza in a meeting on Friday with Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog, according to her spokesperson.
“The administrator acknowledged the steps the government of Israel has already taken and how we can continue to accelerate efforts to facilitate the flow and delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Administrator Power raised serious concern on the humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza,” the statement from Benjamin Suarato read.
The post Biden Admin Threatens Israel with Arms Embargo Over Gaza Aid first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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