The State Department intends to ask Congress to approve Israel's $8 billion purchase of American-made weapons, the department's Office of Arms Transfers announced Friday.
This could be President Biden's final arms transfer to Israel, a move against the longtime ally even as the rising death toll in Israel's war in Gaza fuels growing opposition within the party to more arms. This is proof of the administration's continued support. sale.
The weapons package includes artillery shells, small-diameter bombs, missiles for fighter jets and helicopters, and a GPS guidance system for bombs, according to an unofficial notification provided to two parliamentary committees. Many of the weapons are not intended for immediate use, but instead go into production pipelines and can take years to be delivered.
Israel will use the funds provided by the United States to purchase weapons. The annual aid amount was about $3 billion, but Mr. The amount has been increased.
During the informal notification period, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee will consider the proposed sale and ask questions of the State Department. If there is any doubt, the transfer can be put on hold. Top Democrats on both committees were skeptical about arms transfers to Israel, but top Republicans quickly gave approval.
Once the four top members give their approval to the State Department, the agency will formally notify Congress, which essentially means the proposed sale will pass. For Congress to pass a resolution to block sales, a two-thirds vote in each chamber is required.
This unofficial notice was previously reported by Axios.
Weapons transfers to Israel are a controversial topic that has dogged Biden among liberals. In November's presidential election, some progressive voters and some Muslim-American voters said they were discouraged from supporting Biden because of his staunch support for Israel.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli forces, supplied with US weapons, have killed more than 45,000 Palestinians during the war, including many civilians. Critics of Israel's war effort have implored Mr. Biden to withhold arms aid to Israel in order to pressure him to rein in the Israeli military operation that has destroyed much of Gaza.
Mr. Biden and his aides, including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, are trying to walk a fine line, saying Israel has a right to defend itself but sometimes criticizing its actions. Mr. Biden at one point said he was putting a hold on one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel to deter Israel from destroying the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but the Israeli military has reduced much of Rafah to rubble anyway. turned into
At another point, the Biden administration put on hold an order for 24,000 assault rifles over concerns that West Bank settlers could use the rifles in violence against Palestinians there.
President-elect Donald J. Trump, who had a strong record of supporting Israel during his first administration and supporting heavy arms shipments to the Jewish state, signed a cease-fire agreement with Israel and Hamas before taking office this month. I urge you to do so. .
U.S. officials working under Mr. Biden are currently trying to reach a cease-fire agreement to release the hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack.
