The #Biden admin paused the shipment of thousands of weapons to #Israel, including controversial 2k-pound bombs, amid mounting concern about the country’s plan to expand a military operation in southern #Gaza that could dramatically increase the conflict’s death toll, U.S. ofcls said Tues.
@Nonilex This suggests a graduated approach has been adopted. Presumably anything purely defensive - such as components for the 'iron dome' system - will still be sent. Sending materiel that could only be used in 'area bombing' / 'dehousing' - a term used by 'bomber' Harris to describe indiscriminate bombing of #germany in #worldwartwo could imply approval of / complicity in potential #warcrimes . 'Dumb' 2k-pound bombs would be usable only for 'area bombing' .
@Nonilex too late, 35k plus deaths too frigging late. Biden has shovelled arms into Israel as fast as he could, breaking both Federal Law and International Law. He has blood on his hands. Maybe someone has got though to the fool he too could be held accountable for war crimes.
The disclosure marks the 1st known instance of a pause in #US#arms transfers since the #Oct7#Hamas-led attack into #Israel…. Since then, the #UnitedStates has sent tens of thousands of #bombs & #missiles to its #ally as huge swaths of #Gaza have been turned to rubble & the death toll among #Palestinians has ballooned to >34k, many of them women & children…. #POTUS#Biden described the bombing as “indiscriminate,” but has been reluctant to leverage weapons transfers to…change…Israel’s behavior.
A 2nd #US ofcl…described the move as a “shot across the bow” intended to underscore to Israeli ldrs the seriousness of #UnitedStates concerns about the offensive in #Rafah, where ~1.5M displaced #Palestinians are massed in camps near #Gaza’s border w/ Egypt.
…The shipment being prepped for delivery to #Israel last wk included 1,800 2k-pound bombs & 1,700 500-pound bombs….That decision will be felt quickly as Israel continues to rapidly expend munitions as the conflict passes the 7-month mark.
The #Biden admin is reviewing other planned transfers that are not set to ship imminently, the 1st ofcl said. That pertains to 6,500 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which convert free-fall “dumb bombs” into precision-guided weapons… …The unprecedented decision follows weeks of consultations beginning in Apr between #US & #Israel ofcls on how to meet the #humanitarian needs of #civilians in #Rafah & “how to operate differently against #Hamas there than they have elsewhere in #Gaza”…
But in recent days, it became clear to the #Biden admin that “Israeli leaders seemed to approach a decision point on such an operation,” forcing Washington to initiate its review of proposed transfers.
Despite the pause, the #IDF has enough #weapons supplied by the #US & other partners to conduct the #Rafah op if it chooses to cast aside US objections, the 1st ofcl said.
When asked about the delays earlier Tues, #StateDepartment spox Matthew Miller declined to offer a rationale but said that US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against #Hamas remains intact.
[nonanswer answer]
In Washington, #US military support for #Israel receives overwhelming support from #Republicans & #Democrats in #Congress…
…powerful pro-Israel interest groups including the American Israel Public Affairs Cmte… is spending tens of millions …this #election cycle to unseat #Democrats it views as insufficiently pro- #Israel.
#Republicans assailed news of a delay in #weapons approvals as a “reprehensible” betrayal. “The #UnitedStates must stand with Israel. Period,” said Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC).
@Nonilex I'm a loyal Dem but I think it behooves the Biden admin to ask how effective its strategy over the past 5 months has been. It hoped it could coax Hamas back to the table after the 1st hostage release in Nov & barred Israel from military maneuvers in Gaza. Hamas understood this gave them the upper hand & refused to negotiate in earnest. Only Israel's threatened move on Rafah restarted negotiations.
It's time for the Biden admin to own up to its failures that have prolonged the war.
@Nonilex It's abundantly clear what the effects of the 2k pound bombs would be. The mk84 dates back to Vietnam. We know all about it's imprecision and immense blast radius. It can be lethal a 1/4 mile from where it impacts. There is nowhere in Gaza where it's use would be appropriate. It is an indiscriminate weapon and we just kept giving Israel more well after it became apparent how they we being used and in what quantities. The Biden administration is an aider and abettor of war crimes.
@Nonilex why not focussed on all the other armaments you send? I forgot US send dollar military aid to Israel for them to spend with US arms makers and this is an election year and those arms companies have loads of cash and their employees loads of votes. Gazans have no cash and no votes and often no lives or limbs.