President Biden’s decision to proceed with a sale of $320 million worth of arms equipment to Israel is drawing opposition among members of his party.
U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has introduced a resolution of disapproval, the first bill aimed at preventing the sale as the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on in its second month. Other progressive Democrats signaled their support for Omar’s bill, including U.S. Reps. Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez and Rashida Tlaib. It also is endorsed by organizations such as Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch and the Center for Constitutional Rights.
The proposed arms deal pre-dates the current war. Whether the resolution to thwart that agreement will even come up for a vote is hardly a sure thing. It would have to pass the scrutiny of the House Foreign Affairs Committee before being considered by the full House. Republicans control a majority in the House of Representatives and most favor military aid to Israel — especially since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel precipitated the current crisis.
Even if it were to pass the House, it still would face a stiff test in the Senate, which voted by more than 2-1 against a similar bill in December 2021, one which would’ve blocked a $650 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia. And if it got through both houses, it could face an even more formidable obstacle — a Biden veto.
Nevertheless, Omar pressed on, blaming weapons produced by the Spice Family Guided Bomb Assemblies for the deaths of 12,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 5,000 children. Biden’s proposed sale would provide Israel more Spice Family ammunition.
“The United States already provides the Israeli government with $3.8 billion of military aid a year, and holds enormous leverage over their actions,” Omar said. “It is the responsibility of Congress to exercise oversight over weapons sales. That is why we must not allow weapons sales that will be used to directly violate U.S. and international law, human rights, and our own moral standing in the world.”
According to Save the Children, an international non-governmental humanitarian organization, more children have died in Gaza in the last month than in all other conflicts around the world this year.
“A humanitarian catastrophe,” said Jason Lee, its country director in Palestinian territory.
