Less than a week after halting the supply of 2,000-pound bombs and artillery shells to Israel, the administration of US President Joe Biden informed Congress yesterday of its intention to move forward with an arms and ammunition package for Israel worth more than a billion dollars. The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the report, the new package consists of tank ammunition worth a total of $700 million, tactical vehicles worth a total of $500 million, and mortar bombs worth $60 million. Approval of the package must go through further stages, and supply will take place over a period of years.
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This new operation comes while Biden's threat not to provide Israel with weapons that could be used in an attack on population centers in the city of Rafah, on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, remains in place. The Israeli army has already taken control of the border area. Meanwhile, Biden said the United States would continue to supply Israel with defensive weapons, especially the Iron Dome missile interception system.
Meanwhile, exchanges of fire continue on Israel's northern border between the IDF and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli army may have to, sooner or later, conduct a large-scale ground operation in Lebanon as well, unless a diplomatic solution is found to end the fighting in the north.
The US Congress recently approved an aid package worth $26 billion, including $9 billion allocated to humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. $5.2 billion for Israeli air defense systems, and $1 billion for artillery shells.
The Biden administration more than once bypassed Congress in providing military equipment to Israel during the Iron Sabers War, for example in the sale of 155 mm shells worth $147.5 million. However, the State Department is obligated to report to Congress arms sales to other countries that exceed a certain threshold.
Published by Globes, Israel Business News – en.globes.co.il – on May 15, 2024.
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