The Biden administration is preparing to send bombs and other weapons to Israel that would add to its military arsenal even as the U.S. pushes for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing current and former U.S. officials.
The proposed arms delivery includes roughly a thousand each of MK-82 bombs, KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munitions that add precision guidance to bombs, and FMU-139 bomb fuses, the Journal reported, adding that the value of is estimated to be ‘tens of millions of dollars.’
The proposed delivery is still being internally reviewed by the administration, the report added, citing a U.S. official, who said the details of the proposal could change before the administration notifies congressional committee leaders who would need to approve the transfer. The U.S. State Department and Defense Department, Israel Defense Forces and Israel Defense Ministry have not immediately responded to the report.
However, there are a growing number of U.S. government employees who are firmly opposed to a continued support of Israel in the war. Earlier this month, staffed staged a hunger strike in an attempt to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to denounce Biden’s policy toward Israel.
Representatives for Feds United for Peace, a group of several dozen government employees frustrated with the Gaza crisis also organized an office walkout in January. Earlier this week, it emerged how Biden had sensationally referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as ‘an [expletive]hole’ on at least three occasions describing him as the primary obstacle to peace in the Middle East, according to a report.
A source close to the president told NBC News that Biden felt as though Netanyahu was ‘giving him hell’ over ceasefire negotiations. ‘He just feels like this is enough. It has to stop,’ another source told the network. The aging Democrat regularly calls Netanyahu ‘this guy’. Last week, Biden called Israel’s military operations in Gaza ‘over the top’ and said the suffering of innocent people has ‘got to stop.’
While Biden has previously expressed concern about the mounting Palestinian civilian toll, his direct criticism of the Israelis has been muted. As of December 2023, the Biden administration had skipped congressional review of weapons sale to Israel twice. The Biden administration has faced criticism for continuing to supply arms to Israel as allegations pile up that American-made weapons have been used in strikes that have killed or injured civilians.
The war in Gaza began when Iran-backed Hamas sent fighters into Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s air and ground offensive has since devastated much of Gaza, killing 28,775 people, also mostly civilians according to the Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry, and forcing nearly all of its more than 2million inhabitants from their homes.
Biden has again cautioned Netanyahu against moving forward with a military operation into Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah without a ‘credible and executable plan’ to protect around 1.4 million Palestinians sheltering there. But Israel’s defense minister said the country is ‘thoroughly planning’ its promised ground invasion of Rafah, and Netanyahu vowed early on Friday to reject ‘international dictates’ on a long-term resolution of Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians.
Yoav Gallant told reporters Friday that Rafah is ‘the next Hamas center of gravity’ that Israel plans on targeting. ‘We are thoroughly planning future operations in Rafah, which is a significant Hamas stronghold,’ he said. He declined to say when the operation might begin.
Two Israeli airstrikes on Rafah overnight killed at least 13 people, including nine members of the same family, according to hospital officials and relatives.
