Lizza: President Biden told CNN that if Israel invades Rafah, the U.S. will stop supplying it with artillery shells and other offensive weapons. His quote was, “If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons.” Very, very clear. What’s your view of that?
I was informed about that about 10 minutes before I walked in this room. And my reaction honestly, was, “Wow.” That is
a complete turn from what I have been told, even in recent hours. I mean,
24 hours ago, it was confirmed to me by top administration officials that the policy’s very different than what he stated there. So I hope that’s a senior moment.
Lizza: Wait, can you just explain that?
I was in the
SCIF having classified discussions with some top administration officials. The subject matter of my concern, I can tell you, was we got word about
the shipment of munitions being delayed. And that was a great concern to us because I got commitments from top administration officials before we passed the supplemental package for the aid to Israel that that would not happen. And there would be no delay whatsoever. They repeat it to me in writing and verbally, no delay in the delivery of weapons to Israel because it’s so desperately needed.
So yesterday I talked with Prime Minister Netanyahu about it, and I wanted to get confirmation from him exactly what’s happening. And he described exactly what was happening — before the news was confirmed.
Lizza: Before Biden’s statement?
Well, this is well before the statement. We were just hearing rumors [about the delayed munitions]. So I confirmed it with Prime Minister Netanyahu. And then I went straight to the White House and I said, ”What gives? Somebody’s going to have to explain this to me because it’s very different than what I was told.”
And they said, “Oh, this has nothing to do with the supplemental package that you all passed. This is the earlier weapons tranches.” “Well, Israel needs it right now.” “Well we’re working on that.” “Well you better work on it quickly.”
So
this statement by the president, I hope — I believe he’s off script. I don’t think that’s something that staff told him to say. I hope it’s a senior moment because that would be a great deviation in what is said to be the policy there and in the very critical relationship we have with Israel.
Lizza: Do you feel betrayed by this then?
I got to say that I do. We’ve been very deliberate. We’ve been very open, very much in good faith.
The Congress expressed its will through that vote. And so
for the administration to make such a huge deviation in policy without any consultation with us and in defiance of what we quite literally just voted on here, days ago. To me, it raises a lot of alarm.