DaysofPal- Western media reported that the Biden administration has notified Congress of a proposed major arms deal for Israel.
The move is framed as part of ongoing support for the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which has persisted for over 14 months, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including significant numbers of women and children.
The deal includes multipurpose ammunition and various shells valued at $8 billion.
This significant military package, which could be the last under President Joe Biden’s current term, encompasses artillery shells, small-diameter bombs, ammunition for fighter jets and helicopters, as well as GPS guidance systems for bombs.
Reports from the State Department office overseeing arms transfers indicate that many of the weapons are not intended for immediate deployment. Instead, they will enter production, with deliveries potentially spanning several years.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported last Wednesday that, since the October 7 attack, the United States has supplied the Israeli occupation with military aid valued at nearly $22 billion, citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The report further noted that between 2019 and 2023, the United States accounted for approximately 69% of Israel’s weapon imports, a figure that has since increased to 78%.
The report revealed that, as of December 2023, the United States had transferred over 10,000 tons of weapons to the Israeli occupation, valued at $2.4 billion. This figure surged to 50,000 tons by August 2024.
Additionally, data from the Watson Institute at Brown University indicated in September 2024 that U.S. funding support for Israel since October 7, 2023, accounted for nearly 70% of the total war expenditures.
For decades, Israel has relied on American-made weapons. However, since October 7, reports indicate that the Biden administration has conducted more than 100 military aid transfers to Israel, with only two meeting the review threshold required by Congress.
The Israeli military has also received expedited shipments from a strategic weapons stockpile that the United States has maintained in Tel Aviv since the 1980s.
Following October 7, Washington also agreed to lease two Iron Dome missile defense batteries that it had recently purchased from the United States.
The Israeli occupation forces have been conducting a genocidal campaign against civilians in the Gaza Strip for over 14 months, resulting in the deaths of more than 45,000 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are women and children. Additionally, more than 100,000 others have been injured, and tens of thousands remain detained in Israeli prisons.
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