Biden administration approves sale of $735 million worth of JADM kits to Israel

Congress was notified of the proposed sale about a week before the start of the military operation in Gaza. Criticism of Washington's support of Israel is growing in the Democratic party 

Biden administration approves sale of $735 million worth of JADM kits to Israel

U.S. President Joe Biden. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The Biden administration has approved the sale to Israel of $735 million worth of weapons systems including precision-guided munitions. 

The Washington Post said Congress was officially informed of the proposed sale on May 5, about a week before the Hamas organization started firing rockets into Israel, and the start of the Israeli military operation in Gaza, during which close to 200 Palestinians were killed. The newspaper said that most of the items in the sale are Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) systems that transform so-called "dumb" bombs into precision guided missiles. Israel acquired such systems in the past.   

A spokesman for the House Foreign Affairs Committee confirmed that Congress was informed of the proposed sale and that Boeing will supply the systems to Israel. Commentators said that the acquisition will further highlight the differences within the Democratic party on the issue of criticism of Israel.  

The American administration called for an immediate ceasefire in the current operation in Gaza, but added that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, a position supported by most members of Congress. But there are members of the new generation of Democratic lawmakers who are highly critical of Washington's support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.   

A member of the Democratic party told the newspaper that Israel carried out an airstrike against a building where there were offices of American news agency AP, and therefore "Allowing this proposed sale of smart bombs to go through without putting pressure on Israel to agree to a cease-fire will only enable further carnage." 

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