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The US always fulfills all Israel's wishes. Photo/AP
GAZA – Observers of Israel's war in Gaza have faced a question in recent months: If the US is sending weapons to Israel, then why hasn't the public heard of any arms sales other than two arms shipments at the end of last year?
The Washington Post delivered the answer last week. Reporter John Hudson revealed that the Biden administration has approved more than 100 small arms packages for Israel since October 7 that are below the $25 million threshold to officially notify Congress – and by extension the public – about the transfers.
In total, these small sales could add up to more than $1 billion in US military aid.
The decision to send US aid in smaller packages is not unusual. The US government has done this in the past for both practical and nefarious purposes; only about 2% of arms transfers occur above the threshold for notifying Congress.
Why is the US always fulfilling what Israel wants?
1. Israel is the US Arsenal in the Middle East
Photo/AP
But what is not normal is the fact that many of these weapons were likely already stationed on Israeli territory before the war. Unlike other countries, Israel has American arms stockpiles on its territory and Israel has privileged access.
When a US-made bomb hits Gaza, there is a strong possibility that it originates in an American facility, staffed by American troops and governed by American law.
“It's clear that this is a major source of weapons for Israel,” said Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned in protest over US support for Israel's wars. Unfortunately, Paul added, “the process is opaque, so it's hard to say for sure what weapons they're getting” from the stockpile.
2. The US Wants to Protect Israel
Photo/AP
This arsenal is only a small part of the puzzle. Overall, US efforts to protect Israel from human rights restrictions and guarantee its access to continued military assistance have made progress compared to other countries, according to experts and former senior US officials.
These benefits include modified human rights checks, special access to US weapons, and a veto on American arms sales to Israel's neighboring countries. To date, the State Department has not conducted a formal assessment of Israel's compliance with the law in the Gaza war.