The Biden administration circumvents Congress for the second time in a month to secure an emergency arms sale to Israel, according to NBC News.
The $147.5 million equipment sale is intended to help ensure the functionality of the US ally’s previous purchase of nearly 14,000 155 millimetres shells.
“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against the threats it faces. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” a State Department spokesperson said.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the sale on Friday after approval from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The decision comes at a time when Israel is facing growing scrutiny over its military tactics and a civilian death toll of more than 21,000 in Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Josh Paul, a former State Department arms control bureau official who resigned in protest after the war began, noted that arms sales to Israel will allow operations that have led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians to continue, adding that “more children will die” because of the US position on the supply of arms.
In early December, the Biden administration also sidestepped the traditional congressional approval process by pushing through an emergency $106 million arms sale to Israel and some 14,000 tank shells.
The White House is separately seeking passage of a $106 billion supplemental funding bill that includes about $61 billion for aid to Ukraine and about $14 billion for aid to Israel, as well as funding for US border operations, but the bill has stalled in Congress.
