by Ben Whedon
House Democrats on the Foreign Affairs Committee announced a hold on a planned sale of $2.8 billion in bombs to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The sale would see the U.S. supply Israel with 40,000 one-ton bombs, The Hill reported. It comes as Democrats increasingly distance themselves from Israel and party activists call for a pivot away from the country.
“I remain firmly committed to Israel’s security and its ability to defend itself against serious regional threats. But the Trump administration’s proposed sale of 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, some of the most destructive munitions in our arsenal, raises grave, unresolved concerns about how these munitions could be used in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon,” Democrat Rep. Gregory Meeks stated in a press release
“The Trump administration has not provided sufficient assurances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with U.S. law and with appropriate protections for civilians,” he added.
“I therefore will not clear this sale at this time. This decision does not diminish Congressional support for Israel’s legitimate defense needs; it reflects Congress’s responsibility to ensure that U.S.-funded weapons are used lawfully, responsibly, and with meaningful safeguards for human life,” he added.
Israel has increasingly faced scrutiny over alleged human rights violations in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighboring countries as war continues in the area.
– – –
Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “Gregory Meeks” by Gregory Meeks.Â
