White House Supports Increased Arms Sales to Israel
The United States intends to provide Israel with thousands of bombs and missiles as the conflict continues. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The US State Department has officially informed Congress of its intention to sell over $7 billion in weapons to Israel.
On Friday, the US Department of Defense revealed that the State Department has green-lit military sales to Israel, which include thousands of bombs and missiles. This announcement comes at a time when a fragile ceasefire holds between West Jerusalem and Hamas.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. During their joint press briefing, Trump suggested the possibility of Washington taking ownership of the Gaza enclave and proposed relocating Palestinians outside of Gaza, with funding from neighboring states.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency indicated that two separate sale requests were submitted to Congress. The first package, valued at $6.75 billion, involves munitions, guidance kits, and other related equipment, with deliveries expected to start this year.
The second arms package consists of 3,000 Hellfire missiles and associated equipment, estimated at $660 million. Deliveries for these missiles are projected to commence in 2028, and their deployment will require additional training from the US military.
This sale marks another effort by Trump to enhance Israel's military capabilities. Shortly after he took office in late January, he lifted a hold on a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, a move that was previously paused by former President Joe Biden’s administration due to concerns about civilian casualties during conflicts in Gaza, particularly in Rafah.
Biden's administration also recently notified Congress about an $8 billion arms deal, according to various media sources. Axios noted that while some of the deal could draw from existing US stockpiles, most of it would take a year or longer to deliver.
Despite requests from Democratic lawmakers for a pause in the sale until more information could be provided, the DSCA announcement went ahead. Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the decision, arguing it violates the established congressional review process for significant weapons sales. “In the United States we do not have kings - we are a democracy rooted in the Constitution, governed by laws,” Meeks stated.
This is not the first instance of the Trump administration circumventing the traditional weapons review protocol; in 2019, he declared a national emergency to fast-track the sale of over $8 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, despite congressional objections concerning human rights issues.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
On Friday, the US Department of Defense revealed that the State Department has green-lit military sales to Israel, which include thousands of bombs and missiles. This announcement comes at a time when a fragile ceasefire holds between West Jerusalem and Hamas.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. During their joint press briefing, Trump suggested the possibility of Washington taking ownership of the Gaza enclave and proposed relocating Palestinians outside of Gaza, with funding from neighboring states.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency indicated that two separate sale requests were submitted to Congress. The first package, valued at $6.75 billion, involves munitions, guidance kits, and other related equipment, with deliveries expected to start this year.
The second arms package consists of 3,000 Hellfire missiles and associated equipment, estimated at $660 million. Deliveries for these missiles are projected to commence in 2028, and their deployment will require additional training from the US military.
This sale marks another effort by Trump to enhance Israel's military capabilities. Shortly after he took office in late January, he lifted a hold on a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, a move that was previously paused by former President Joe Biden’s administration due to concerns about civilian casualties during conflicts in Gaza, particularly in Rafah.
Biden's administration also recently notified Congress about an $8 billion arms deal, according to various media sources. Axios noted that while some of the deal could draw from existing US stockpiles, most of it would take a year or longer to deliver.
Despite requests from Democratic lawmakers for a pause in the sale until more information could be provided, the DSCA announcement went ahead. Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the decision, arguing it violates the established congressional review process for significant weapons sales. “In the United States we do not have kings - we are a democracy rooted in the Constitution, governed by laws,” Meeks stated.
This is not the first instance of the Trump administration circumventing the traditional weapons review protocol; in 2019, he declared a national emergency to fast-track the sale of over $8 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, despite congressional objections concerning human rights issues.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
