Senate Republicans Urge Biden to Speed Up Arms Shipments to Israel

Nearly all Senate’s Republicans called on President Joe Biden last week to accelerate the delivery of congressionally approved weapon systems and ammunition to Israel.

A letter led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and signed by 47 other Republican senators accuses the Biden administration of imposing a “partial arms embargo against Israel” by delaying delivery of 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15 fighter jets, engines for F-35 fighter jets, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000-pound bombs, rifles and guided missile systems.

“While your administration delays, Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, the Houthis continue to attack in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah continues its onslaught in northern Israel,” the letter says. “Your stalling tactics are endangering our greatest ally in the Middle East and jeopardizing the lives of our American servicemembers stationed in the region.”

The senators also asserted that the White House has “ignored” several previous letters on the topic. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a frequent critic of foreign military aid, was the only Republican senator not to sign the new letter.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, also has criticized the pace of arms flows to Israel (see 2408010056). The administration has insisted it has paused only one shipment, which included 2,000-pound bombs, to limit civilian casualties in the Gaza war (see 2405150051).