Trump administration seeks Congress's authorization for an arms sale deal worth $6.4 billion to Israel
The Trump administration is seeking congressional approval for a $6.4 billion weapons sale to Israel, a move that contrasts with growing Democratic wariness about Israel's military operations in Gaza. The proposed package includes $1.9 billion for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles for the Israeli army, $750 million in support parts for armored personnel carriers and power supplies, and $3.8 billion for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. These arms transfers, if approved, would be financed through U.S. Foreign Military Financing (FMF). However, the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee is currently considering the proposals. The proposed sale comes as Israel expands military operations in Gaza City, leading to concerns about the humanitarian impact of the conflict. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel has killed more than 64,000 people in Gaza during the war, with most of them being civilians. This has led to a call for action from a group of U.S. senators, who urged the U.S. government to declare recognition of a Palestinian state to support peace efforts between Israel and Palestine. In September 2021, 26 Democratic senators voted against further arms sales to Israel, reflecting these concerns. The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, Germany is considering EU sanctions against Israel as the Gaza offensive continues. France plans to recognize a Palestinian state on Sep. 22, citing the Gaza crisis. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting on Gaza next week. It's important to note that the State Department declined to comment on potential or pending arms transfers before they are formally notified to Congress. The sources for this information are Bloomberg and Reuters. While the proposed weapons sale is not yet made public, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the concerns about its humanitarian impact continue to be a topic of discussion among U.S. and international policymakers.
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