The United States has decided to delay the shipment of Hellfire missiles intended for use by Israel on Apache helicopters. The timing of this news hitting the headlines on Aug. 14 was reminiscent of the first days of the Yom Kippur War, in early October 1973. Then as now, a crisis with the United States erupted while the Israeli public and American Jewry stood in support of the government of Israel, the soldiers on the front lines, and Israeli citizens behind the lines. Then, as now, Washington used a weapons shipment delay to express its discontent with Israeli government policies.

As The Wall Street Journal reported, the transfer of anti-tank missiles intended to penetrate heavy armor was postponed on the grounds that the deal was struck behind the White House’s back. On the other hand, however, the citizens of Israel have come to expect that a true friend in the United States would not be so petty when people living in the south are under rocket fire. Even in times of peace, any harm done to the security of the state, even indirectly, including criticism of Israel, is considered a stab in the back of the entire nation. All the more so, when Hamas is firing rockets at the center of the country and bloodthirsty terrorists are digging tunnels beneath their children’s bedrooms.

It is too early to tell whether the Aug. 1 bombing of the Rafah region that left an estimated 130-150 Palestinians dead was the reason for the shipment’s delay. It may have been in response to the way US Secretary of State John Kerry was humiliated or the fact that the United States was removed from the negotiations to end the conflict in Gaza. One serious indication can be found in a stinging comment by a US official that Israel is pushing the United States aside while at the same time asking it to provide security guarantees. Regardless of the actual reason, White House sources say the missile shipment was not delayed for purely administrative reasons. One senior White House official stated, “The notion that they [our 'friends'] are playing the United States, or that they’re manipulating us publicly, completely miscalculates their place in the world.”

Much to everyone’s surprise, the decision to put a hold on the missile shipment in the middle of a war did not result in demonstrations outside the US Embassy or the White House. The leaders of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC would not normally hesitate to attack the administration directly and sic various members of Congress on it, but for now they are being conspicuously silent. Under ordinary circumstances, these same lobbyists would have recruited all their forces on Capitol Hill to attack the White House, even for the slightest hint of criticism of Israel. This time, however, they are holding back from attacking what looks like sanctions in one of the most critical areas of Israeli-US relations. It cannot be emphasized enough that this is happening less than three months before congressional elections, a time when candidates traditionally vie for the Israeli lobby’s support. A recent announcement on the powerful organization’s website applauds the Obama administration and Congress for deciding to provide Israel with additional aid amounting to $225 million to fund the Iron Dome air defense system.