The chairmen of the US House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee have released a joint statement condemning the US administration’s decision to pause munitions deliveries to Israel.
According to a report by the Associated Press the munitions included 2,000lb and 500lb bombs, citing an unnamed senior US administration official. Reports emerged in recent days that US President Joe Biden ordered the suspension as Israeli forces look to move into the Rafah area of Gaza, the latest step in their multi-stage operations in Gaza.
US air-launched munitions in this category include the Paveway III and Paveway IV guided bombs.
Israel has been under growing international pressure for the manner in which it is conducting its military campaign in Gaza, which began in October last year after Hamas’ bloody cross border attack. More than 1,200 Israelis were killed in the attack with hundreds more taken hostage by Hamas fighters. Israel’s response is thought to have resulted in tens of thousands of military and civilian casualties.
However, the move by the Democrat president was widely condemned by senior Republican officials, with the powerful chairs of the House Armed Services Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee rounding on Biden’s decision.
“Withholding arms to Israel weakens Israel’s deterrence against Iran and its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah. Moreover, this disastrous policy decision was undertaken in secret and deliberately hidden from Congress and the American people,” the two said in the joint statement on 8 May.
“At a time when Israel continues to negotiate in good faith to secure the release of hostages, including American citizens, the administration’s shortsighted, strategic error calls into question its ‘unshakeable commitment’ as an ally,” they added.
Both Rogers and McCaul said that the US administration “must allow these shipments to move forward to uphold the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security and ensure that Israel can defend itself and defeat Hamas”.
US Pentagon does not support Israel ground operation into Rafah
Usually publicly voluble in its support of Israel, Washington in recent weeks has sounded increasing notes of caution at the way the war in Gaza is unfolding, and in particular the latest evolution into the urban areas of Rafah.
The US Pentagon is known to have presented Israel with more limited options to the large-scale operations being planned and carried out by Israel into Rafah.
On 7 May, a US Pentagon spokesperson said that “we do not support a large ground operation into Rafah”, with talks between US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described as “frank”.
In April the US finally passed a multi-billion-dollar security assistance package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, after months of internal wrangling. The package for Israel alone was judged to be valued at more than $26bn.
