Under pressure from the administration of US President Joe Biden, two key Democrats in Congress have agreed to approve a significant arms sale to Israel, including 50 F-15 fighter jets valued at over $18 billion, according to a recent report.
The Washington Post, citing three unnamed officials familiar with the matter, reported on Monday that Representative Gregory Meeks and Senator Ben Cardin, who had previously stalled the sale for months, signed off on the deal several weeks ago.
"The decision, which has not been previously reported, underscores the substantial appetite in Washington to continue the flow of arms to Israel despite concerns from younger members of Congress that the United States should use its leverage to pressure Israel to reduce the intensity of the war and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza," the Post stated.
Meeks and Cardin are two of four lawmakers who can effectively veto a foreign military sale. Eric Harris, communications director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, indicated that any issues or concerns Chair Cardin had were addressed through ongoing consultations with the Biden administration, leading to his decision to allow the sale to proceed.
Meanwhile, Meeks confirmed he has been in "close touch" with the White House regarding the package and has "repeatedly urged the administration to continue pushing Israel to make significant and concrete improvements on all fronts when it comes to humanitarian efforts and limiting civilian casualties."
The State Department can now proceed with notifying Congress of the approved sale, the next step towards completing the transaction. If ultimately approved, the deal would mark one of the largest arms sales to Israel since the war on Gaza began.
The United States has been supplying Israel with extensive military equipment since Tel Aviv launched its offensive on Gaza in October 2023. The conflict began after Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups initiated Operation al-Aqsa Storm in retaliation for Israeli actions against Palestinians. According to the Gaza-based health ministry, the conflict has resulted in at least 37,347 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, and injured 85,372 others.
The Gaza Strip has been under a "complete siege," with Israel cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million residents. The Gaza media office has accused the US and Israel of using starvation as a political weapon, calling for international condemnation of this "heinous crime."
As the Biden administration pushes forward with the arms sale, the broader implications for US-Israeli relations and the humanitarian situation in Gaza remain a focal point of international concern.
