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Two US congressional Democrats block $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel
Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Gregory Meeks opposed a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. The package includes 40,000 one-ton bombs, while Shaheen criticized the Netanyahu government over developments in Gaza, Syria and the West Bank.
Two Democrats in the US Congress opposed a planned $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Gregory Meeks, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, blocked the sale.
The package includes 40,000 bombs, each weighing one ton. The Biden administration had previously halted shipments of similar munitions over concerns that they could be used in Gaza and cause civilian casualties.
Shaheen criticizes Netanyahu government
Shaheen filed her objection in July. Her position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee allows her to block major arms sales while the State Department considers congressional concerns.
In remarks to CNN, Shaheen said everyone was concerned about Israel's operations in places such as Gaza and Syria, as well as the impact of those operations on the prospects for a peaceful solution in the Middle East.
Shaheen was troubled that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not addressed Democratic lawmakers' concerns about civilian deaths in Gaza, Israel's attacks in Syria and growing violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Shaheen said Netanyahu needed to understand that the policies pursued by the United States were not viewed favorably. She said settler violence in the West Bank had driven Palestinians from their homes and disrupted basic infrastructure, adding that the Netanyahu government had not taken sufficient steps to resolve the situation.
Meeks concerned about international law
Meeks said he was concerned about whether the Netanyahu government would use US-provided weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law and US law.
Palestinian health officials estimate that about 70,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas since October 2023. The estimate does not distinguish between civilians and members of armed groups.
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