Two top Democrats in Congress have cleared the way for a $15 billion U.S. sale of F-15s to Israel to move forward, after a delay while one sought answers from the Biden administration on Israel’s current use of U.S. weapons in the war in Gaza. New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democratic member of the House foreign affairs committee, and Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, the chair of the Senate version of the committee, confirmed Tuesday they had agreed to the deal, for F-15s and related gear that would be delivered by 2029.
Quick Read
Two Democrats in Congress Clear the Way for $15 Billion Sale of Fighter Jets to Israel
- Congressional Approval: New York Rep. Gregory Meeks and Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin have given their approval for a $15 billion sale of F-15 fighter jets to Israel.
- Details of the Deal: The sale, which includes F-15s and related gear, will see deliveries made by 2029.
- Context: The approval follows a delay during which Meeks sought answers from the Biden administration on Israel’s current use of U.S. weapons in the Gaza conflict.
- Legislative Process: The sale had been temporarily halted due to concerns from some Democratic lawmakers about high civilian casualties in Gaza from current Israeli operations.
- Biden’s Stance: President Biden has delayed some arms transfers over these concerns but has not imposed a broader ban.
- Statement from Meeks: “The aircraft in question will not be delivered until years from now and I remain supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself against the real threats posed by Iran and Hezbollah,” said Meeks.
- Background: This decision comes amidst ongoing debates in Congress over the U.S. support for Israel and the humanitarian impact of the Gaza conflict.
The Associated Press has the story:
Two Democrats in Congress clear the way for $15 billion sale of fighter jets to Israel
Two top Democrats in Congress have cleared the way for a $15 billion U.S. sale of F-15s to Israel to move forward, after a delay while one sought answers from the Biden administration on Israel’s current use of U.S. weapons in the war in Gaza.
New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democratic member of the House foreign affairs committee, and Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin, the chair of the Senate version of the committee, confirmed Tuesday they had agreed to the deal, for F-15s and related gear that would be delivered by 2029.
Several Democratic lawmakers have urged the U.S. to restrict current sales of the kinds of weapons that Israel is using in attacks on population centers and other areas that cause high civilian casualties. President Joe Biden has delayed some arms transfers over civilian deaths in Gaza, but resisted congressional pressure for a more sweeping ban.
“The aircraft in question will not be delivered until years from now and I remain supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself against the real threats posed by Iran and Hezbollah,” Meeks said Tuesday.
Meeks’ and Cardin’s Republican counterparts on the two committees earlier gave their approval. The sale now moves to a stage in which the administration formally notifies Congress of the planned sale.
