The Biden administration has approved $735 million worth of precision-guided weapons to be sold to Israel, a congressional aide confirmed to The Hill on Monday.
The sale, which Congress was officially notified of on May 5, has concerned some House Democrats who have pressed the administration to limit military support for the Israeli government in the face of its growing assault on Gaza.
A majority of the possible sale is of Boeing-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions, equipment that can make unguided bombs dropped from aircraft into guided missiles, the aide confirmed.
The window for Congress to block this sale is for all intents and purposes closed. There are four days left in the 15-day expedited review window, and any resolution of disapproval has to be in committee for at least 10 days before there can be a vote to bring it to the floor.
“The United States should not stand idly by while crimes against humanity are being committed with our backing,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, said in a statement.
“It would be appalling for the Biden Administration to go through with $735 million in precision-guided weaponry to Netanyahu without any strings attached in the wake of escalating violence and attacks on civilians,” Omar added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “If this goes through this will be seen as a green light for continued escalation and will undercut any attempts at brokering a ceasefire.”
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