2023-11-07 15:40:13
WASHINGTON – The US State Department has approved a $320 million sale to Israel of equipment for kits that convert unguided bombs into more accurate munitionsGPS-guidedaccording to a letter sent by the department to Congress obtained by The New York Times.
The order is added to a previous one for the same equipment valued at almost 403 million dollars.
Israel has been using the equipment during its bombing campaign in Gaza.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas government in the enclave, the Israeli attacks have caused the death of some 10,000 Palestinians, 40% of whom are young children and adolescents.
Israel has askedor more ammunition to the United States along with the equipment for the guided bomb kits.
Modern armies often add guidance systems to bombs in order to minimize civilian casualtiesalthough the damage can still be devastating, especially in urban areas.
Israel’s aerial munitions arsenal consists largely of 450- and 900-kilogram bombs, among the largest used by any military force.
Magnitude
Israel dropped at least two 1,000-kilogram bombs in an airstrike on October 31 on the dense Jabalia neighborhood of Gaza.
That attack killed dozens of people and injured many more, according to Gaza authorities and hospital officials.
Israel claims to have successfully targeted a senior Hamas commander who helped plan the October 7 attacks from Gaza, in which Hamas fighters and other armed assailants killed what Israel says were more than 1400 personasmost of them Israeli civilians, and kidnapped more than 240 people.
Hamas denies that any of its commanders were in the area of Jabalia at the time of the October 31 attack.
Coincidentally, the State Department sent its letter about the new sale of bomb materials to Congressional offices on the same day as that attack in Yabalia.
The letter says that Rafael Advanced Defense Systemsa weapons manufacturer owned by Israel’s Defense Ministry, is paying $320 million for equipment and services to “Spice Family Gliding Bomb Assemblies“, a reference to a type of precision pump equipment manufactured by Rafael.
The equipment seller is Rafael USA, an American company based in Bethesda, Maryland, that has ties to the Israeli company.
This is a sale in which a foreign entity purchases weapons directly from a US company and not through the US governmentso the State Department is only required to disclose its approval in restricted channels.
The Congressional record notes that the State Department submitted the letter on October 31, but the letter not available on any public congressional website or on the State Department site.
The letter was sent by Naz Durakoglu, Undersecretary of Legislative Affairs, to House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which are overseeing approval. of arms sales by the State Department.
Secret
Israel’s request for authorization to purchase the $320 million in bomb materials was submitted this year and had gone through an informal review process with congressional committees, but had not received final approval from the State Department before the attacks. on October 7, said Josh Paula recent State Department official who worked in the political-military office, which oversees arms sales.
The previous order placed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for the same type of equipment, and valued at almost 403 million dollars, It was approved by the department on Feb. 5, according to the letter.
c.2023 The New York Times Company
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