DAccording to a report in the Washington Post, the US government has approved billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel. As the newspaper reports, citing unnamed officials at the Pentagon and the US State Department, US President Joe Biden's administration “quietly” approved bombs and warplanes to Israel in recent days, despite strained relations between the two countries , including 2,000-pound (about 907 kg) MK84 bombs.
According to the report, last week the Foreign Ministry approved, among other things, the delivery of 25 F-35A fighter jets. This was already approved by Congress in 2008, so the ministry was not obliged to make a new notification to the legislature. The MK84 and MK82 bombs approved this week were also approved by Congress years ago but have not yet been delivered, they said.
Strained relationships
From the Washington Post's perspective, the approval shows that the US government does not view arms transfers as a means of exerting influence over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US government officials repeatedly repeat Biden's promise to Israel to unconditionally support the country in the war against the Islamist Hamas. “Conditioning (military) aid was not our policy,” the newspaper quoted an official as saying.
Relations between Biden and Netanyahu are currently in poor shape. An Israeli delegation was actually supposed to travel to Washington this week. US representatives wanted to address their concerns about the ground offensive in Rafah – and show alternatives. But Netanyahu canceled the trip after the UN Security Council passed a resolution on Monday without opposition from the US that increased international pressure on Israel.
According to the US government, efforts are currently underway to find a new date for a visit by an Israeli delegation to Washington. “We are working on setting a date,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre a few days ago. Netanyahu's office agreed to reschedule the meeting.
When asked, Netanyahu's office said the head of government had not approved the delegation's departure. However, it was not denied that discussions were being held.
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