The decision to delay the sale of precision weapons to Israel has sparked questions 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.
The delay of the JDAM systems, if intentional, 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 to Israel, including tank ammunition, military vehicles, and mortar bombs. Pressure is mounting on the administration to reduce weapon supply to Israel to ensure the protection of civilians in Gaza.
Protests on college campuses in the US over the administration’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, including arms sales, reflect growing discontent among the American public. Despite ongoing criticism,