If the White House request were granted, it would allow Israel to access U.S. weapons with less congressional oversight.
The White House aims to lift almost all restrictions on Israel’s access to weapons from a crucial U.S. stockpile, allowing a smoother flow of weapons to Israel, which has for weeks suspended its devastating bombings on the Gaza Strip.
The White House asked the US Senate to remove the restrictions in its latest supplemental budget request on October 20. If granted, the request would allow Israel to access more powerful U.S. weapons at a reduced cost, with less congressional oversight.
The request proposes changes to policies governing the War Reserve Stockpile Allies-Israel (WRSA-I), a U.S. weapons stockpile based in Israel that contains smart bombs, missiles, military vehicles, and other munitions and equipment.
This stockpile, built up in the 1980s, gives the Pentagon a solid reserve of weapons on which it can draw in the event of regional conflicts.
Israel, the United States’ main ally in the Middle East, has also been able to withdraw some weapons from its emergency reserves and purchase them at a discounted price. However, it was only able to access certain classes of weapons deemed “obsolete or surplus”.
The White House request would eliminate these conditions, allowing the United States to transfer all “defense items” in its stockpile to Israel. It would also remove an annual limit on the amount Washington spends to replenish the cache and limit congressional oversight of the transfers.
“Fluid pipeline”
Josh Paul, former director of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, told The Intercept that the request would “essentially create a seamless pipeline to provide all defense items to Israel by simply placing them in the WRSA.” I stockpile, or other stocks intended for Israel.”
Worth $3.8 billion a year, the United States already sends more military aid to Israel than any other country.
Since the Israeli military attack on Gaza on October 7, the United States has increased this figure, with the House of Representatives approving a $14.3 billion emergency military aid package to Israel.
However, there are signs that U.S. public support for military aid to Israel is waning amid the Gaza war, in which Israeli attacks have killed nearly 15,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll in November, only 33 percent of U.S. respondents now think Washington should support Israel in the war, instead of being a “neutral mediator” or supporting the Palestinians.
At the same time, only 31% of U.S. respondents support sending weapons to Israel, compared to 43% who oppose it.
Meanwhile, aid to Ukraine has been delayed due to opposition from Republican lawmakers.