Israel receives a lot of other weapons from US despite embargo on bombs - Reuters
Israel continues to receive a large amount of weapons from the US (photo: Getty Images)
Despite the delay by the US presidential administration in delivering one batch of bombs, Israel continues to receive other types of American weapons worth billions of dollars, according to Reuters.
Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, noted that despite the US administration's refusal to deliver bombs worth tens of millions of dollars, a wide range of other military equipment is expected to be delivered to Israel. Among them are Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which convert dumb bombs into precision-guided weapons, as well as tank shells, mortars, and armored tactical vehicles.
According to Risch, these munitions are not moving through the approval process as quickly as they should. He noted that some of them have been in the works since December, while aid to Israel typically goes through the review process within a few weeks.
Meanwhile, Gregory Meeks, top Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, has halted the transfer of an $18 billion arms package to Israel, which includes dozens of Boeing Co. F-15 aircraft. He is currently awaiting additional information on how Israel will use them.
Risch and Meeks are two of the four American lawmakers who oversee major arms sales abroad. These actions in Congress are authorized by the heads and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as the heads and members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
None of these deals are part of the spending package signed by Biden in April, which includes $26 billion in support for Israel and humanitarian assistance.
Senator Chris Murphy, chairman of the Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism from the Democratic Party, expressed concern to Reuters about the fate of Rafah.
"I do not think it is our strategic or moral interest to help Israel conduct a campaign in Rafah that is likely to kill thousands of innocent civilians and not likely impact Hamas' long-term strength in a meaningful way," he said.
Issues with the delivery of American weapons to Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are planning to launch a military operation in the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip to decisively defeat the terrorists of the Hamas Islamic movement. Israeli forces have already taken initial steps towards this.
Leaders of the US and several European countries have condemned these plans due to concerns about a large number of civilian casualties in the city.
Recently, the US halted the transfer of bombs to Israel, which its army could use to strike Rafah.
Joe Biden also announced the suspension of deliveries of other types of weapons to Israel if the IDF starts an operation in Rafah.
Meanwhile, Israel has stated its readiness to continue military operations in the Gaza Strip even without the support of Western allies.
