A congressional aide confirmed to DIN that the Biden administration notified Congress Tuesday that it plans to deliver more than $1 billion in new weapons to the Jewish state amid the bomb shipment pause.
The weapons package, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, would include $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, but the supplies are not expected to reach the battlefield anytime soon. This was after enormous pressure!
President Biden would veto legislation barring the US from withholding the shipment of military weapons to Israel, arguing that it would prevent the commander in chief from executing “effective foreign policy, the White House announced Tuesday.
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act, introduced by Republicans in the Senate and House and Representatives, would compel the Biden administration to quickly deliver previously approved weapons to Israel and withhold funds from the secretary of defense, secretary of state and National Security Council until the shipments currently on pause are delivered.
“The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 8369, the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, which seeks to limit the President’s discretion to ensure that the delivery of certain defense articles and services aligns with U.S. foreign policy objectives,” the White House said in a statement of administration policy, commenting on the House version of the bill.
“The bill would undermine the President’s ability to execute an effective foreign policy,” the statement continued, deriding the legislation as a “misguided reaction” and a “distortion” of Biden’s threat to withhold the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to the Israeli military.
“We strongly oppose attempts to constrain the president’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” the White House said.
“If the President were presented with H.R. 8369, he would veto it.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed Congress last week that the Biden administration had “paused” a shipment of precision bombs destined for Israel, setting off a firestorm of criticism aimed at the president.
Hours after Austin’s revelation, Biden, 81, proclaimed on CNN that the US would halt deliveries of certain military firepower to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu follows through with a planned invasion of Rafah, which is believed to be the last major Hamas terror stronghold.
The city on the southern end of the Gaza Strip is also packed with more than 1 million civilians seeking refuge from the war.
“The Biden administration might be set on ending defense support for Israel, but Congress and the American people aren’t going to support the terrorists,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a co-sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said in a statement.
“The Israel Security Assistance Support Act would ensure America’s greatest ally in the Middle East can destroy Hamas.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), another co-sponsor, characterized the Biden administration’s decision to withhold certain weapons as a “de facto arms embargo on Israel,” which he called “a betrayal of one of our most important allies as it fights an existential war for survival.
“This bill will reverse Joe Biden’s arms embargo and withhold the salaries of officials who implement it,” he added.
White House officials indicated Monday that while the 2,000-pound bombs are being withheld, other weapons shipments to Israel will continue.
“We are continuing to send military assistance, and we will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. “We have paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities.”
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