Biden admin sidesteps Congress again, approves military equipment sale to Israel

Washington, DC [US]: In another move that sidesteps congressional approval, the Biden administration has authorised the immediate transfer of nearly USD 150 million in military equipment to Israel for its ongoing conflict with Hamas. It marks the second such bypass within the month, CNN reported.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken apprised Congress of his emergency determination, allowing the prompt transfer of “155mm ancillary items, including fuzes, charges, and primers that make 155mm shells functional,” as revealed by a State Department spokesperson on Friday.

Citing the urgency of Israel’s defensive requirements, the spokesperson explained, “The secretary notified Congress that he had exercised his delegated authority to determine an emergency existed necessitating the immediate approval of the transfer.”

The spokesperson said the additional items were added to previous sales, which “increased the total value of the sale to USD 147.5 million,” according to CNN.

Earlier this month, the administration expedited the sale of thousands of munitions to Israel, circumventing the standard 20-day review period typically granted to congressional committees. The emergency declaration sent to oversight committees outlined the delivery of over 13,000 tank shells to Israel without providing “further information, details, or assurances.”

“We continue to be clear with the government of Israel that they must comply with [international humanitarian law] and must take every feasible step to avoid harm to civilians,” emphasised a State Department spokesperson at the time.

The USD 106 million transaction was part of a larger request to sell a total of 45,000 tank shells to Israel. The series of emergency approvals underscores the Biden administration’s response to Israel’s perceived immediate defensive needs amid the ongoing conflict, CNN reported.