BENJAMIN Netanyahu has said Israel can “stand alone” after the US warned it could halt arms shipments if the Israeli prime minister ordered a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza.
“If we need to … we will stand alone. I have said that if necessary we will fight with our fingernails,” he said.
US President Joe Biden said he would withhold some arms including artillery shells if Rafah was invaded.
The US has already paused a shipment of bombs over fears of civilian deaths.
Mr Netanyahu on Thursday however recalled the war of 1948 to dismiss warnings from the US, Israel’s closest ally.
“In the War of Independence 76 years ago, we were the few against the many,” he said “We did not have weapons. There was an arms embargo on Israel, but with great strength of spirit, heroism and unity among us – we were victorious.”
He said that Israel had “much more than our fingernails” if Mr Biden stopped arms shipments. “And with that strength of spirit, with God’s help, together we shall be victorious.”
Yoav Gallant, Mr Netanyahu’s defence minister, meanwhile said Israel’s “enemies as well as … best of friends” should understand that his country “cannot be subdued. We will stand strong, we will achieve our goals.”
The comments came hours after the UN said more than 80,000 people had fled Rafah since Monday amid constant bombardment and as Israeli tanks massed close to built-up areas.
The UN also warned that food and fuel were running out for the more than one million still sheltering in the city, because it was not receiving aid through nearby crossings.
Israeli troops took control and closed the Rafah crossing with Egypt at the start of their operation, while the UN said it was too dangerous for its staff and lorries to reach the reopened Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.
Israeli forces said they were conducting “targeted raids” against Hamas elements remaining in the city. However, the Israeli government has refused to rule out a full scale invasion, leading to Mr Biden’s warning he would not supply it with the munitions to do so.
On Wednesday, Mr Biden told CNN that American bombs had been used to kill Palestinian civilians.
“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah,” he said.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Mr Biden did not believe “smashing into Rafah” would advance Israel’s objective of defeating Hamas.
“An enduring defeat of Hamas certainly remains the Israeli goal, and we share that goal with them,” Mr Kirby said.
“The argument that somehow we’re walking away from Israel, or we’re not willing to help them defeat Hamas just doesn’t comport with the facts,” he said.