WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has told key lawmakers it’s sending a brand new package of weapons and ammunition value greater than $1 billion to Israel, three congressional aides said Tuesday.
It is the primary arms shipment to Israel announced by the federal government because it put one other arms transfer – consisting of three,500 bombs – on hold earlier this month. The government said it paused that earlier transfer to discourage Israel from using the bombs in its increasing offensive within the crowded southern Gaza town of Rafah.
The congressmen spoke on condition of anonymity a few weapons transfer that has not yet been made public.
The package sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million for tactical vehicles and $60 million for mortar shells, aides said.
There was no immediate indication of when the weapons could be shipped. Israel has now been at war against Hamas in Gaza for seven months.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the plans to delay the package.
Republicans within the House of Representatives planned to introduce a bill this week that may require the provision of assault weapons to Israel. After Biden decided last week to stop the bomb shipments, Republicans quickly condemned it, arguing that it represented the abandonment of the United States' closest ally within the Middle East.
The White House said Tuesday that Biden would veto the bill if it were approved by Congress. Even within the Democratic-controlled Senate, the bill has virtually no probability. But House Democrats are somewhat divided on the difficulty, and about two dozen have signed a letter to the Biden administration saying they’re “deeply concerned about the message” being sent by the pause in bomb deliveries.
In addition to the written veto threat, the White House has been in contact with various lawmakers and congressional staffers concerning the laws, in keeping with an administration official.
“We firmly and firmly oppose attempts to limit the president's ability to provide U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week, adding adding that the federal government plans to spend money “until the last cent” passed by Congress as a part of the national security supplemental package signed into law by Biden last month.
Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro contributed.
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