US advances 20,000 rifle sale to 'Israel' despite prior Biden-era hold

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 08:29

The Trump administration approved a delayed $24 million rifle sale to "Israel" despite earlier Biden-era concerns over potential misuse by settlers.

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Israeli police deploy in the Old City of al-Quds ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 (AP)

The Trump administration advanced the sale of over 20,000 US-made assault rifles to "Israel" last month, according to a document reviewed by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter.

The deal moved forward despite having been previously delayed by the Biden administration over concerns that the weapons could be used by Israeli settlers described as extremist.

On March 6, the State Department formally notified Congress of the $24 million sale, specifying that the Israeli police would be the end user, Reuters noted.

While modest in value compared to the billions of dollars in arms the US supplies to "Israel", the deal attracted scrutiny after the Biden administration paused it, citing fears the rifles might be misused by settlers involved in violent attacks against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Biden administration had imposed sanctions on individuals and groups linked to such violence amid a surge in settler attacks in the area.

Notably, on his first day in office on January 20, Trump signed an executive order reversing US sanctions on Israeli settlers. Since then, his administration has approved a series of major weapons sales to "Israel".

The March 6 notification indicated that the US had considered “political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control” factors before proceeding with the sale.

Settler violence had been escalating even before the outbreak of the war on Gaza and has intensified since the Israeli war machine was unleashed on Gaza more than a year ago.

Trump has cultivated a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pledging unwavering support for "Israel" in its war on Gaza. In several instances, his administration has advanced arms sales to "Israel" despite calls from Democratic lawmakers to pause such transfers pending further information.

On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted against efforts to halt $8.8 billion in arms sales to "Israel" due to human rights concerns, rejecting two resolutions of disapproval with votes of 82–15 and 83–15. These resolutions, which aimed to block the sale of large bombs and other offensive weaponry, were introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

The sale of US-made rifles had initially been suspended following objections from Democratic lawmakers, who requested details on how "Israel" intended to use the weapons. Although the relevant congressional committees ultimately cleared the transaction, the Biden administration maintained the hold.

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir—an extremist member of Netanyahu’s government—oversees the Israeli police. In November 2023, The Times of Israel reported that his ministry placed “a heavy emphasis on arming civilian security squads” in the wake of the Palestinian Resistance's October 7 attacks against "Israel".