Biden is moving forward on $1B in weapons for Israel after the previous shipment was paused over Rafah concerns.
Biden is moving forward on $1B in weapons for Israel after the previous shipment was paused over Rafah concerns. According to reports, the Biden administration is proceeding with its plan to provide $1 billion worth of weapons to Israel, despite the White House having temporarily stopped a shipment last week due to worries over Israel’s intended ground invasion of Rafah.
As per the Wall Street Journal, the weaponry package will consist of $60 million of mortar rounds, $500 million of tactical vehicles, and $700 million of tank ammo.
When the arms would be sent was not immediately apparent.
The State Department emphasized that the arms package is not fresh aid being sent to Israel when contacted by Fox News.
A supply of 2,000-pound bombs has been halted by the United States, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, because “we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated areas.”
Israel has dismissed warnings from the US and other partners that any significant assault there would be disastrous for civilians and instead has painted Rafah as the last bastion of Hamas.
According to John Kirby, the national security communications advisor for the White House, the United States had offered Israel “alternative methods of defeating Hamas that do not involve a major group operation in Rafah.” Kirby made this statement last week.
Reiterating that President Biden “will continue to ensure that Israel has all of the military means it needs to defend itself against all of its enemies, including Hamas,” Kirby underlined the administration’s support for Israel.
“For [President Biden], this is pretty clear-cut: he will keep giving Israel all the tools it requires, but he objects to specific American weaponry being used in a particular kind of operation in a specific location. Kirby added once more that he has been unambiguous and consistent about it.
This week, House Republicans intended to move forward with a bill that would have required the supply of offensive weapons to Israel. Republicans have compared Biden’s decision to halt weapon supplies to the United States abandoning its closest Middle Eastern friend.
The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were to pass Congress. The bill also has practically no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the issue, and roughly two dozen have signed onto a letter to the Biden administration saying they were “deeply concerned about the message” sent by pausing the bomb shipment.
Source: Fox News
