From US advances $680 million arms sale to Israel; official insists no link to Lebanon truce
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
The Biden administration is advancing a $680 million weapon package to Israel, a US official confirms to The Times of Israel, while insisting that the sale is not tied to the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which went into effect this morning.
On Tuesday, Washington had insisted that the ceasefire was not tied to any weapon shipments to Israel.
The US official speaking on condition of anonymity explains that this latest arms sale, which includes thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAMs), was in the works for several months and is just one of countless shipments green-lit since the start of the war, including in recent weeks before the Lebanon ceasefire was signed.
“There are constantly packages being advanced through various stages. This has nothing to do with the ceasefire in Lebanon,” says the official, who is speaking on condition of anonymity.
“This case has been in the pipeline for some time now. Deliveries aren’t expected to start for at least a year, and this should be viewed in the context of long-term support for Israel’s defense and not tied to the ceasefire yesterday or any specific current activity,” says another US official.
The State Department declines to confirm the advancement of the JDAMs sale, but did say that US support for Israel’s security against Iran-backed threats is “unwavering” and that no country can be expected to tolerate the threats Israel is facing.
The statement from the State Department says all weapon transfers are carried out in line with US law, which bars their use in the perpetration of war crimes or by countries that block the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.
“We have made clear that Israel must comply with international humanitarian law, 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 State Department says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed yesterday that the US has been delaying weapon shipments to Israel — setbacks that would end soon, he said, not so subtly referencing the January 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The Biden administration immediately denied Netanyahu’s claims, saying the only shipment that has been withheld is a package of 2,000-pound bombs that Washington is concerned would be used in densely populated areas.
