A group of Senate Democrats is urging President Joe Biden to withhold a military sale to Israel, suggesting it could be used as leverage to influence the conduct of the conflict in Gaza and Israel's policies toward Palestinians.
The proposed sale, which includes air-to-air missiles, approximately 50 F-15 fighter jets, and Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, has proceeded despite reservations from top Democrats on foreign affairs committees, as reported by The New York Times.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a leading voice among those advocating for a tougher stance on U.S. arms sales to Israel, emphasized the need for the Biden administration to pause such transfers.
"I continue to believe that the Biden administration should pause the transfer of offensive weapons until the Netanyahu government meets the Biden administration's objectives in a number of areas," Van Hollen told The Hill.
Van Hollen is part of a cohort of Democrats pressuring the administration to take a more assertive approach toward Israeli military actions in Gaza and its policies in the West Bank, leveraging arms sales as a means to induce policy change.
The group has not confirmed their attendance at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming speech scheduled for July 24 in Congress, underscoring divisions within the Democratic Party regarding U.S.-Israel relations.
Van Hollen criticized the decision to invite Netanyahu, calling it a mistake, and indicated he would decide later whether to attend.
Alongside 18 other senators, Van Hollen successfully pushed for the issuance of National Security Memorandum 20 by President Biden. This executive order aims to scrutinize Israel's conduct in the Gaza conflict and suggests the possibility of halting weapon deliveries if violations of international humanitarian law are confirmed.
Senator Chris Murphy, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on the Middle East, expressed dissatisfaction with the administration's interpretation of the memorandum.
"I don't think there is evidence to suggest that Israel has been in compliance with that memorandum. My belief is that the administration should be using all the leverage it has, including weapon sales, to bring this conflict to a close," Murphy said.
