In a surprising turn of events, the White House canceled a scheduled meeting with senior Israeli officials who were already en route to Washington.
The abrupt decision came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Biden administration of withholding military aid in a video posted to social media on Tuesday.
The meeting, intended to address strategic concerns about Iran, was scrapped after Netanyahu’s post angered some of Biden’s top advisors.
“This decision makes it clear that there are consequences for pulling such stunts,” one U.S. official said.
As Mediaite reports:
At the time Netanyahu’s video drew a sharp public rebuttal from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre: “We genuinely do not know what he is talking about.” Privately, according to sources, Biden’s team was incensed by what they saw as Netanyahu’s ingratitude.
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein conveyed the White House’s displeasure directly to Netanyahu shortly after the video’s release.
Despite the cancellation, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will still meet with his Israeli counterpart, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s visit next week remains on schedule.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
READ NEXT: Controversial Cable News Personality Arrested After Huge Manhunt
Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
