Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Syrian Rejal al-Karamah (Men of Dignity) movement: What happened was a dangerous escalation that threatens civil peace and undermines the trust that authorities have worked hard to establish.
Rejal al-Karamah (Men of Dignity) movement: We condemn in the strongest terms the brutal attack on the city of Sweida and Jabal al-Arab by the Damascus government.
Maduro: We reaffirm that Palestine has the right to exist, resist, and live freely in a fully sovereign state with East al-Quds as its capital.
Maduro: Every bomb dropped on a Palestinian hospital, school, or home not only kills innocent lives but also destroys the foundations of world peace.
Maduro: What we are witnessing today in Gaza and throughout Palestine is not a conflict between equal parties, but rather a systematic plan to destroy a people and eradicate their identity.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at the Bogota summit: We raise our voices firmly outraged at the world's silence in the face of the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians.
Syria: Sources to Al Mayadeen: Israeli airstrikes target supply lines of military factions affiliated with the Syrian Interim Ministry of Defense outside Sweida and around Daraa.
Al-Saadi: There were concerns that Lahham would be placed under administrative detention.
Al-Saadi: The Israeli occupation authorities could not prove any allegations leveled against Nasser Lahham.
Lawyer Oussama al-Saadi: The oppressive Israeli measures of delaying Lahham's release had vengeful motives.

Ron DeSantis confirms sending weapons to 'Israel'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 27 Oct 2023 09:58
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

"Israel’s" consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, denies requesting DeSantis to send shipments of weapons and claims that shipments of medical supplies were only agreed upon.

  • x
  • Republican US presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a meet and greet, October 14, 2023, in Creston, Iowa. (AP)
    Republican US presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a meet and greet, October 14, 2023, in Creston, Iowa. (AP)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' office confirmed on Thursday that he has sent drones, body armor, and helmets to "Israel", adding that the transport was done through a private supplier.

A spokesperson for the governor told US media outlets that the delivery was done following a request by "Israel’s" consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky.

Jeremy Redfern, the press secretary for DeSantis' gubernatorial office, wrote to Reuters, "At the request of the Israeli Consul General in Miami, cargo planes contracted by Florida were used to transport healthcare and hospital supplies, drones, body armor, and helmets that first responders can use".

However, Elbaz-Starinsky claimed to AP that such a request was never put through. "Nothing went through me," he said, adding, "We were never in communication on any shipments of arms or ammunition. The only thing that I have dealt with sending is medical supplies."

Read next: 'You ain't seen nothing yet': Florida's DeSantis

"I...would find it very, very bizarre to think that somebody is procuring weapons and sending it to Israel..." he said, adding "This is not how we work. And certainly not privately funded."

Related News

Rutte: Secondary tariffs on Russia would impact China, India, Brazil

US urges 'Israel' to halt Syria airstrikes, Tel Aviv pledges to stop

DeSantis’ spokesperson asserted to CNN that both parties did collaborate to "help get weapons and ammunition to Israel through private parties." 

'Not illegal'

A CNN source noted that the supplies left Florida for "Israel" last Tuesday.

In light of this, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday that "It is not illegal for the governor of a state to offer a measure of foreign assistance to another country," highlighting that "there are laws and regulations which govern how the export process is handled and that’s all done through [The Department of] Commerce. I couldn’t speak with authority today about whether the governor has checked all those boxes or not."

DeSantis has also taken action by arranging charter flights to transport Americans home from "Israel", sending medical supply shipments, and ordering Florida universities to ban the Students for Justice in Palestine organization.

US President Joe Biden is ramping up military aid to "Israel" to pave the way for a "swift, decisive and overwhelming" response against the Palestinian Resistance, as the White House is requesting an additional $14 billion in support from Congress - most of which is meant for weapons.

The American military claims to have prepared 2,000 personnel and a range of units on a heightened standby for potential deployment to "Israel". However, defense officials state that the forces are not intended to serve in combat roles and are tasked with advising and medical roles, but some could enter to support Israeli forces.

Read more: US to deploy 900 soldiers in Middle East under CENTCOM

Two aircraft carrier groups, USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, have already been sent to the region. The groups also include one missile cruiser, at least two destroyers, and dozens of aircraft including jet fighters alongside around 5,000 servicemen.

  • United States
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Palestine
  • Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Israel
  • Gaza
  • Ron DeSantis
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025
This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows damage after an Iranian attack at the al Udeid Airbase outside of Doha, Qatar, June 25, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Satellite images show Iran attack damaged US comms dome in Qatari base

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025
An Israeli soldier abandons an excavator during an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades. Arabic text reads "The moment the soldier fled", July, 10, 2025 (Al Qassam Military Media)

Israeli media rue al-Qassam footage, alarmed by fighters among troops

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025
Ukraine’s Corporate Carve-Up Collapses?

Ukraine’s Corporate Carve-Up Collapses?

  • Analysis
  • 11 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Syrian government forces deploy at the Mazraa village on the outskirts of city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Bedouin clans and Druze factions, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Gulf-backed negotiations underway in Syria's Sweida to end clashes

UN: 798 Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid in Gaza
Palestine

UN: 798 Palestinians killed while trying to reach aid in Gaza

A damaged car is seen at a field that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Nabi Sheet village, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, Wednesday, August 21, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Hezbollah condemns Israeli Bekaa massacre, urges action from Lebanon

Palestinians walk next to the closed humanitarian aid distribution center of UNRWA, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli regime cuts electricity, water supplies to UNRWA Gaza offices

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS