Once again, the administration of United States President Joe Biden has circumvented Congress to approve an emergency weapons sale to Israel.
Despite increasing international condemnation and as Israel intensifies and expands its attacks on the Gaza Strip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Congress of a second emergency determination within less than a month. This latest decision entails a $147.5 million sale of equipment to Israel, as revealed by the State Department on Friday.
The State Department emphasized the urgency of Israel’s defensive needs, stating that Secretary Antony Blinken notified Congress of an emergency requiring immediate approval for a $147.5 million transfer of equipment. The department asserted the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security, citing it as vital to national interests.
The emergency determination allows for the bypassing of a potentially lengthy congressional review typically associated with foreign military sales. The package includes ancillary items like fuses, charges, and primers necessary for Israel to operate the 155mm shells it had previously purchased.
Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington, DC, highlighted the broader context of the messaging. Despite calls for Israel to shift to a lower-intensity conflict and cease mass bombings and civilian casualties, the emergency approval indicates a continuation of military support from the Biden administration. Biden has circumvented
In the given context, where the Biden administration has expressed a desire for Israel to transition to a lower-intensity conflict, the decision to sell exacting munitions to Israel for a high-intensity campaign raises questions. Al Jazeera’s Patty Culhane reported that Israel will acquire 155mm M107 projectiles, artillery shells capable of causing extensive destruction in densely populated areas like Gaza. This sale, while contradictory to the call for de-escalation, underscores the complexity and nuances in the relationship between the United States and Israel amid the ongoing conflict.