The Uncommitted National Movement on Thursday celebrated President Biden’s announcement that the U.S. will cut off certain weapons and artillery shells to Israel if the Jewish State launches a large-scale invasion of Rafah, the last remaining Hamas stronghold in Gaza.
The movement first began with a campaign to have voters select “uncommitted” on their Democratic primary ballots earlier this year, leading more than 100,000 primary voters in Michigan to do so in an effort to send a message to Biden that he must support a cease-fire in Gaza or face political repercussions. The president seemed to get the message, saying shortly after that he was hoping to have a cease-fire in place shortly.
Now, the group is calling Biden’s recent comments a “step forward.”
“Biden’s announcement to halt American arms for Israel’s Rafah invasion marks a step forward, propelled by our growing anti-war movement,” said movement spokeswoman Layla Elabed, the younger sister of progressive Representative Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.)
“But, as the Democratic Party has fractured over Israel’s atrocities in Gaza over the past several months, Biden’s actions will always speak louder than his words,” Elabed added.
The group is advocating for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire,” a halt to all munitions and military aid to Israel, and an “end to the long-term siege on Gaza,” according to its website.
Biden’s announcement, meanwhile, came during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday.
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities — that deal with that problem,” Biden said.
The president’s comments came after the administration said Tuesday that it had paused the shipment of thousands of bombs meant for Israel over concerns about an invasion of Rafah. The Biden administration has expressed unease at the prospect of Israel invading Rafah without a plan to evacuate civilians, as more than 1 million Palestinians are said to be sheltering in the city.
But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Biden’s threat on Thursday, saying that his country is ready to “stand alone” in its fight against Hamas terrorists.
“We are on the eve of Independence Day,” Netanyahu said in the Hebrew-language address published to X. “In the War of Independence 76 years ago, we were few against the many. We had no weapons — there was an arms embargo on Israel — but with great strength of spirit, heroism, and unity among us, we were victorious.”
“Today, we are much stronger, we are determined, and we are united to defeat our enemy and those who want to destroy us,” Netanyahu continued. “If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone. I have said that, if necessary, we will fight with our nails. But we have much more than nails, and with that same strength of spirit — with God’s help — together, we will win.”
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said recently that Israel has the weaponry it needs to carry out a full-scale invasion of Rafah.