The decision to delay the sale of precision weapons to Israel has sparked concerns about the United States’ intentions to slow down weapon supply to its main ally in the Middle East amidst growing internal political pressure. The American administration’s move comes as Israel’s plan to attack the southern city of Rafah in Gaza has been rejected. Despite criticism of the death toll and destruction caused by US-supplied weapons in Gaza, the White House has resisted calls to limit arms sales to Israel.
The proposed sale of up to 6,500 JDAM munition systems worth up to $260 million has been stalled since Congress first learned about it in January. The Biden administration has not moved forward with the deal, raising concerns about the reasons behind the delay. The State Department is required to notify Congress about arms sales to other countries above a specific dollar threshold, but in the case of the JDAM systems, the official announcement was never made.
If intentional, the delay of JDAM systems could be seen as a significant step by the administration amidst ongoing clashes in Gaza. The administration has also not advanced the process of notifying Congress about additional billion-dollar arms deals with Israel, including tank ammunition, military vehicles, and mortar bombs. Pressure is mounting on the administration to reduce weapon supply to Israel and ensure civilians’ protection in Gaza.
Protests on college campuses across America reflect growing discontent among young people over their government’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, including arms sales. Despite ongoing criticism from both sides of politics, President Biden continues his pledge to provide billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel each year since October 2021.
As tensions continue between Palestinians and Israeli authorities over issues related to territorial disputes and human rights violations, critics argue that providing more weapons will only escalate violence further and put innocent lives at risk.
The delay in arms sales comes at a time when many believe that Washington needs to reassess its relationship with Jerusalem and reconsider its role as a mediator between Palestine and Israel.
Despite pressure from some quarters of society calling for a reduction or complete halt on arms shipments to Israel, it remains unclear whether this will happen anytime soon or if it will lead