White House asks for 'Israel' weapons list from State Dept, Pentagon

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
7 Mar 2024 16:21

The White House is attempting to get its hands on a full accounting of the government's weapons assistance, amid growing criticism and pressure across the American political spectrum for its unwavering support for the war on Gaza, which has left over 30,000 Palestinians martyred.

Banners are seen during a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Saturday, March 2, 2024. (AP)

Axios reported, citing four US officials, that the White House has requested the State Department and the Pentagon to provide the list of all weapons transfers to "Israel" that are planned or are awaiting approval in the coming weeks.

The White House is attempting to get its hands on a full accounting of the government's weapons assistance amid growing criticism and pressure across the American political spectrum for its unwavering support for the war on Gaza, which has left over 30,000 Palestinians martyred.

The officials claim this does not mean the White House may suspend any weapons transfers, as they emphasized that the Biden administration does not intend to restrict military aid to the occupation this time.

One US official claimed that the request is meant to check and compare it with a list "Israel" provided to the Biden administration that shows the weapons systems it is prioritizing.

One source with direct knowledge of the matter argues that this is just routine and has occurred previously regarding US assistance to Ukraine - but this marks the first time a list was requested of weapons transfers to "Israel".

The source added that the White House wants a status update on pending defense export licenses and arms transfers already going through, in addition to allegedly helping the State Department prioritize particular arms transfers and to see if any issues demand White House "deconfliction."

Assurances and agreements

Just yesterday, a YouGov poll conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) found that 52% of American citizens agree that the US government should cease weapons shipments to the Israeli occupation entity until it ends its ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip.

The poll reveals a significant partisan divide, with 62% of respondents who voted for President Biden in 2020 supporting the statement, "The US should stop weapons shipments to Israel until Israel discontinues its attacks on the people of Gaza." Only 14% of Biden voters disagree with the statement, while 24% remain undecided.

On the other hand, only 30% of former President Donald Trump's voters support suspending US weapons shipments to the Israeli occupation, with a majority (55%) opposing, and 15% expressing uncertainty.

The poll showed that among those who did not vote in the 2020 presidential elections, 60% believe the US should block weapons shipments to "Israel", while 17% disagree with the statement and 23% are unsure.

The spokesperson for the US State Department announced in late February that the US President issued NSM-20 on February 8. This document represents a new global policy allegedly aimed at strengthening safeguards and accountability for arms transfers, the spokesperson told Al Mayadeen.

The new policy mandates that all partners receiving US-funded arms, under security assistance and cooperation authorities, must provide written assurances. These assurances include a commitment to using the weapons and equipment in compliance with the law of war, as well as facilitating the delivery of US and US-supported humanitarian aid in war zones.