Biden administration provisionally approves $680M in weapon sales to Israel following Lebanon cease-fire deal

​​​​​​​By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Biden administration has provisionally approved a $680 million weapons sale to Israel, including precision munitions like JDAM kits and small-diameter bombs, according to a report Wednesday.

US officials recently briefed Congress on the proposal, a customary step before a public announcement, the Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

While Congress has the authority to object, the disclosing of the planned sale came as Israel and Hezbollah began implementing a fragile cease-fire, it added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that replenishing Israeli weapons stocks was one of three main reasons for agreeing to the cease-fire with Lebanon.

“It is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries,” he said. “These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission.”

US officials speaking to the Financial Times denied any explicit link between the arms sale and the cease-fire agreement.

A State Department spokesperson refused to publicly confirm or comment on proposed or pending arms sales.

“All transfers of defense articles to Israel are provided consistent with the requirements of the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act, and any other applicable statutory authorities and restrictions. As with all transfers to all recipients, such equipment is to be used for the purchaser’s internal security and legitimate self-defense,” the spokesperson told Anadolu, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The spokesperson added that the US has emphasized to Israel the need to comply with international humanitarian law and Israel “has a moral obligation and strategic imperative to protect civilians, investigate allegations of any wrongdoing, and ensure accountability for any abuses or violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.”

The US faces criticism for providing military aid to Israel, as more than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 due to attacks, according to Gaza health authorities.

That has come about after 1,200 people were killed in a cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group, Hamas, according to Israeli figures.

Several human rights groups, former State Department officials and US lawmakers have urged the Biden administration to suspend arms transfers to Israel, citing violations of international law and human rights. Israel rejects the allegations. ​​​​​​​

US President Joe Biden halted shipments of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs to Israel in May because of its offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, citing civilian casualties in Gaza as a consequence of the bombs.

The flow of other military equipment to Israel continued, however, including the State Department's approval in August of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military supplies.​​​​​​​

The $680 million allocation for JDAM kits and small-diameter bombs adds to approximately $20 billion in arms sales that Senate Democrats, led by Bernie Sanders, failed to stop last week.

The US, which provides $3.8 billion in annual security assistance to Israel, is by far the biggest supplier of arms to Tel Aviv, with more than 70% of Israel’s arms imports coming from the US, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

US-made weapons have been documented in several Israeli strikes on Gaza that resulted in civilian casualties, although American authorities have declined to confirm.

A State Department report in May said it is “reasonable to assess” that Israel used US-made weapons in ways that are inconsistent with international humanitarian law. The report, however, stopped short of reaching a definitive conclusion, saying it does not have "complete information."