Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A senior Democrat in the US House of Representatives has said he will block a proposed USD 2.8 billion sale of heavy weaponry to Israel, citing concerns over whether the bombs would be used in line with US and international law. Representative Gregory Meeks said he would withhold approval over what he described as unresolved concerns about the possible use of the munitions in densely populated parts of Gaza and Lebanon.
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Meeks’ move is not expected to stop the sale, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio can override the usual congressional review by declaring the deal an urgent national security matter. The proposed sale comes as the Trump administration continues to bolster Israel’s military capacity amid growing international isolation over the war in Gaza.
Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he would not approve the sale because of “grave, unresolved concerns” about how the weapons could be used by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The Trump administration has not provided sufficient assurances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with US law and with appropriate protections for civilians,” Meeks said in a statement. “I therefore will not clear this sale at this time.”
The proposed sale was informally notified to lawmakers on Tuesday. Once it is formally sent to Congress, Rubio can bypass the normal review process by making an emergency determination that the transaction is in the national security interest of the US. Rubio has used that route before, including to clear a nearly USD 3 billion sale to Israel last year. The administration later approved another set of arms sales to Israel worth a total of USD 6.67 billion in January.
The US State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the proposed sale or on Meeks’ objection. According to The Associated Press, the package includes 40,000 2,000-pound bombs. The transfer of 2,000-pound bombs had earlier been paused by the Biden administration over concerns about the possibility of mass civilian casualties.
The proposed deal is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to strengthen Israel’s military capacity. It comes as Israel faces increasing international isolation over its war in Gaza following the deadly October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated the enclave. Although the US brokered a fragile ceasefire, violence has continued.
In summary, Meeks has objected to the proposed USD 2.8 billion weapons sale to Israel over legal and civilian protection concerns, but the deal is still likely to go through if the Trump administration invokes emergency powers, as it has done in the past.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
