Biden quietly greenlit transfer of new bombs, warplanes to Israel — report

US President Joe Biden has secretly authorised billions of dollars in new bombs and fighter jets for Israel in recent days, according to a new report, despite US officials publicly expressing worry over mounting Palestinian death toll in Tel Aviv's brutal war on besieged Gaza.

The arms approved this week by the US president include deadly 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, anonymous State and Defense Department officials told the Washington Post.

The State Department last week approved the transfer of 25 F-35A fighter jets and engines, a US official added.

The planes and engines are estimated to be worth around $2.5 billion.

The sales have not been notified publicly, and there are no corresponding announcements on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency's website where such notifications are normally posted.

On Friday, Senator Bernie Sanders criticised Biden administration's approval of sending more weapons to Israel.

"The US cannot beg Netanyahu to stop bombing civilians one day and the next send him thousands more 2,000 lb. bombs that can level entire city blocks. This is obscene," Sanders said on X, sharing the report of Washington Post.

"We must end our complicity: No more bombs to Israel," Sanders reiterated.

The development comes despite Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly at loggerheads in recent weeks, most recently clashing after the US did not veto a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Netanyahu retaliated by abruptly calling off a planned visit to Washington by an interagency Israeli delegation that was to discuss US alternatives to Israel's invasion of Rafah. The meeting is now being rescheduled. But the row does not appear to have affected Biden's willingness to continue supplying Israel with arms.

Violation of US law

Two weeks ago, several Democratic senators sent a letter to Biden urging him to halt arms sales to Tel Aviv, because it is currently in violation of a 1961 law that prohibits arms sales to nations that obstruct the delivery of American aid.

"The United States should not provide military assistance to any country that interferes with US humanitarian assistance," senators Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Mazie Hirono, Peter Welch, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren and Ben Ray Lujan wrote.

"Federal law is clear, and, given the urgency of the crisis in Gaza, and the repeated refusal of Prime Minister Netanyahu to address US concerns on this issue, immediate action is necessary to secure a change in policy by his government," they added.

Israel's war on Gaza continues to rage on despite widespread destruction, displacement and death throughout the besieged enclave.

Netanyahu has vowed to invade the southern city of Rafah where some 1.5 million displaced people have sought refuge despite warning of the humanitarian fallout that would ensue.

Israel's war on Gaza — now in its 175th day has killed at least 32,623 Palestinians and wounded 75,092 since October 2023 with the World Court ordering Israel to stop the starvation crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

The US declared its support for Israel since the beginning of the war on October 7 last year. US never holds back in arming Israel, regardless of alarming Gaza civilian casualties.

The United States gives Israel $3.8 billion in annual military dole and often shields its ally at the United Nations.

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Source: TRT