US Approves $1bn Arms Deal with Israel Amid Ongoing Conflict

Israel-Hamas War, US government starts negotiations with Jerusalem on a $1 billion arms agreement

On Tuesday, May 14, the US government started the formal steps toward moving forward with a new $1 billion arms contract for Jerusalem, Israel.

We have learnt that negotiations about a possible arms sale have started between the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees and the State Department.

However, there is no deadline for the legislature's acceptance of the sale because they have not yet received an official notification of it.

The US administration stopped sending 500 and 2,000 pound bombs to Israel, citing worries about their use in crowded places, which led to the decision to pursue this new weapons contract.

According to congressional sources, the proposed $1 billion arms deal may include the transfer of $700 million worth of tank ammo, $500 million worth of tactical vehicles, and $60 million worth of mortar rounds.

It's crucial to remember that the weapons under discussion would not be sent to Israel right once because the sale needs to be officially announced to Congress and approved thereafter, a procedure that may take longer than expected if there are any objections.

US authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to guaranteeing Israel's military capacity to protect itself in spite of the investigation into additional arms shipments to Israel.

This suggests, nevertheless, that longer-term arms agreements are not anticipated to be halted at this time.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated on Monday that although Israel continues to receive military support, the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs has been put on hold because of worries about their use in populated areas. Ongoing talks over this issue are being held with the Israeli government.