The sale of tank ammunition to Israel is approved by the State Department

State Department pushes through a sale to Israel of 13,000 rounds of U.S. tank ammunition in the early stages of the Oct. 7 terror attack

The State Department is pushing through a government sale to Israel of 13,000 rounds of tank ammunition, bypassing a congressional review process that is generally required for arms sales to foreign nations, according to a State Department official and an online post by the Defense Department on Saturday.

The State Department said it had notified Congress of the sale late Friday after Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the munitions in the U.S. national security interest.

The Defense Department’s notification of the sale was posted on Saturday. It said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had informed Congress on Friday that “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale.”

While the Congress debates immigration policy and border security, the White House has been requesting $106 billion in aid forUkraine,Israel and other national security. There is some belief among Democrats that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to reduce civilian casualties during the war against Hamas, the proposed $14.3 billion in American assistance will be off the table.

The health ministry of Gaza says that about 40 percent of the 15,000 Palestinians who have died in Israeli air and ground operations have been children. The war started on Oct. 7 when Hamas launched cross-border attacks in Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and abducting about 240 others, according to Israeli authorities.

The 13 Democratic senators said they were working on legislation that would require nations that receive U.S. weapons to provide more evidence that they aren’t committing war crimes.

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The sale is certain to infuriate Arab leaders, who have criticized the Biden administration’s efforts to block international attempts to pressure Israel into a long-term cease-fire.

On Thursday, Mr. Blinken said at a news conference that “it is imperative — it remains imperative — that Israel put a premium on civilian protection, and there does remain a gap between exactly what I said when I was there, the intent to protect civilians, and the actual results that we’re seeing on the ground.”

The Israeli military says it does not target civilians. The case of the tank strike that left Mr. Abdallah dead and other people injured has been brought up to argue they were in a conflict area.

U.S. support, engineering and logistical services are included in the sale that is worth $106.5 million. The materiel will come from Army inventory.

During the informal review process, committee members can ask State Department questions about how the arms will be used, and whether the purchaser will work to reduce civilian casualties. The State Department issues a formal notification to Congress when the committees sign off on the sales.

“Congressional review is a critical step for examining any large arms sale,” Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, said in a statement to The Times on Saturday, after being asked about the State Department’s expedited approval. “The administration’s decision to short-circuit what is already a quick time frame for congressional review undermines transparency and weakens accountability. The public deserves better.”

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The person was not in an active combat zone when he was struck. “He and his colleagues were alongside journalists from other news outlets, in an area far from active conflict.”

At least four administrations have used the authority since 1979. During the Gulf War, it was used by the Bush administration to get arms to Saudi Arabia.

Pompeo came under heavy criticism for the move, which some believed may have violated the law because many of the weapons involved had yet to be built and could not be delivered urgently. An internal investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing.

The Trump administration would have trouble overcoming the concerns of Congress about the Saudi-led war in Yemen if they had continued to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. The proposed sale is in line with the objectives, according to the department. “Israel will use the enhanced capability to deter regional threats and strengthen its homeland defense.”

The purchase will be exempt from congressional review of foreign military sales. It is rare for the administrations to see an urgent need for weapons without waiting for lawmakers’ approval.