Biden bypasses Congress for second emergency weapons sale to Israel
The Biden administration bypassed Congress for a second time to provide emergency weapons to Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza.
Citing the “urgency of Israel’s defensive needs,” the State Department approved approximately $147.5 million in weapons and equipment sales to Israel on Friday.
“Given the urgency of Israel’s defensive needs, the secretary notified Congress that he had exercised his delegated authority to determine an emergency existed necessitating the immediate approval of the transfer,” the department said.
The designation as an emergency sale allows the administration to bypass normal Congressional review procedures. The department made a similar decision on Dec. 9.
“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to ensure Israel is able to defend itself against the threats it faces,” it said.