Title: Biden administration approves emergency sale of tank ammunition to Israel
By Katherine Donlevy
Published Dec. 9, 2023, 7:52 p.m. ET
The Biden administration has approved an “emergency sale” to send nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition to Israel as it intensifies its invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The State Department authorized the massive offloading, valued at over $106 million, in a move that allowed it to bypass Congress.
“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. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” the department said in a statement.
Israel will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.
For the price of $106.5 million, Israel will receive 13,981 120 mm High Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose with Tracer tank cartridges, as well as US support, engineering, and logistics, all of which will come from Army inventory.
In a rare move, Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined an “emergency exists” in the Middle Eastern war that would affect US national security interests, allowing the sale to happen without the usual congressional review required for foreign military sales.
The emergency sale comes days after the Biden administration pleaded for Congress to approve a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and other national security needs. A significant portion of the funding would go toward military and economic assistance in Ukraine.
With the war entering its third month, the death toll in Gaza stands at more than 17,400, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip.
The approval of the emergency sale signifies the Biden administration’s support for Israel as it faces continued conflict in the region. The move has stirred debate and concern among lawmakers about the extent of US involvement in regional conflicts and the allocation of aid to different nations grappling with security challenges.