The US is reported to have made more than 100 weapons sales to Israel, including thousands of bombs, since the start of the war in Gaza, but the deliveries escaped congressional oversight because each transaction was under the dollar amount requiring approval.

“This doesn’t just seem like an attempt to avoid technical compliance with US arms export law, it’s an extremely troubling way to avoid transparency and accountability on a high-profile issue,” Ari Tolany, director of the security assistance monitor at the Centre for International Policy thinktank, said.

She added that, in exploiting the loophole, the Biden administration was following the steps of its predecessor. “They’re very much borrowing from the Trump playbook to dodge congressional oversight,” Tolany said.

In defending its continued arms sales to Israel, despite ever more public misgivings about its conduct of the Gaza war, the administration has argued that they are part of the US’s basic commitment to Israel’s self defence.

  • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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    The Biden administration has become increasingly critical of the conduct of Israeli military operations in Gaza and the failure to allow in meaningful amounts of humanitarian aid, with the death toll now over 30,000 and with famine looming. But it has kept up a quiet but substantial flow of munitions to help replace the tens of thousands of bombs Israel has dropped on the tiny coastal strip, making it one of the most intense bombing campaigns in military history.

    • harderian729@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      “The Biden administration” has been posturing for the upcoming election for about a year now.

      If Biden wins (which I hope he doesn’t), you can expect them to come back with a vengeance in their support of Israel’s genocide.

      • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        Who are you hoping for to win?

        Trump, who hashtags standwithisrael, says that he’s Israel’s best friend and said about the war “finish the problem”?

        Get your inaccurate, misguiding nonsense out of here

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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          9 months ago

          And Biden is not helping israel “finish the problem”?

          Did you even read the post? Aside from trying to gaslight people into thinking he changed something, Biden is still supporting israel and Netanyahu as hard as he did on day1.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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            9 months ago

            Biden’s told netanyahu he and the US will not support an extended war, a revised position from when this latest invasion began.

            Biden is not helping netanyahu finish the problem. And he certainly didn’t say that netanyahu should finish the problem, like Trump did.

            • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              Yet they just vetoed another ceasefire in the UN out of support for Israel. On top of selling more weapons to Israel. The US is supporting this genocide both militarily with weapon sales and internationally with Veto power in the UN.

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                I know it seems like a long time to a lot of you, but this is not a four-month war tolerated by Biden. This is a 70-year long genocide supported by every us president since Israel was founded.

                Waiting four months for Biden to tell netanyahu Biden does not support an extended war and explicitly state that the US and the Biden administration support a two-state solution is a rapid policy reversal in the context of these atrocities happening for 800 months without any public protest until a few months ago.

                • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  US became the Major Supporter for Israel around 1967 when Israel launched the 1967 war to occupy the West Bank and Gaza. The Two-State Solution has had US support for a long time, and has been wielded by Israel to continue de facto annexing/settling of the West Bank and maintain an Apartheid State under the guise of Security. As a result, a Two-State Solution is no longer viable as it has been a One-State reality for decades.

                • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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                  9 months ago

                  No multiple US presidents shut down israel’s Genocides when they became too extreme. Even Rebublicans like Bush

                  Namely, the high civilian death toll of the Israeli bombing campaign ― conducted in response to a barrage of rockets fired indiscriminately into Israel ― has breathed new life into calls for a reassessment of the United States’ financial and diplomatic support for Israel. Proponents of imposing tougher conditions on the United States’ annual $3.8 billion military aid package to Israel are now concentrated mostly on the political left. But the most recent U.S. president to actually use the threat of withheld aid to change Israeli policy was Republican George H.W. Bush.

                  And that was with a far lower amount of civilians being brutally massacared by israel. What Netanyahu is doing right now is the most extreme Genocide in Palestinian history since at least 1900.

                  And Biden is secretly giving Netanyahu more weapons instead of putting pressure on them.

            • Linkerbaan@lemmy.worldOP
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              Dude it’s been four months. The US is already supporting an extended “war” (Genocide).

              Because Biden, as we can read in this post, has been quietly giving Netanyahu the bombs that make this extended “war” (Genocide) possible.

              Biden set like 500 red lines and Netanyahu violated all of them. And Biden keeps sending weapons. Do people have severe dementia when it comes to Biden and israel?

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                I know it seems like a long time to a lot of you, but this is not a four-month war tolerated by Biden. This is a 70-year long genocide supported by every us president since Israel was founded.

                Waiting four months for Biden to tell netanyahu Biden does not support an extended war and explicitly state that the US and the Biden administration support a two-state solution is a rapid policy reversal in the context of these atrocities happening for 800 months without any public protest until a few months ago.

            • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              Biden’s told netanyahu he and the US will not support an extended war

              Which is a lie for the benefit of other people. Both Biden and Netanyahu knows that.

              a revised position from when this latest invasion began.

              Nope. The public messaging might have changed, but as the article demonstrates, what he and his government are actually DOING hasn’t.

              Biden is not helping netanyahu finish the problem

              That’s just flat out false. He might not say so in public, but his support for the genocidal apartheid regime is as unwavering as ever.

              And he certainly didn’t say that netanyahu should finish the problem, like Trump did.

              He may not have said it in public, but he’s secretly helping Netanyahu towards that goal nonetheless. To still pretend otherwise is wilfully ignorant at best and intentionally gaslighting at worst.

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                Your first point is entirely wrong, and you have no supporting evidence.

                Your second point is entirely wrong, and all the supporting evidence goes against you. Not sure why you even tried that one.

                Your third point is obviously false as well since Biden is directly contradicting netanyahu, talking with netanyahu’s political allies and providing direct aid to Palestine.

                What you’re doing is pretending, Biden is taking positive diplomatic steps to ameliorate a massacre that the US is not directly involved in.

                • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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                  A bunch of lies and blatant attempts to dispute obvious objective reality.

                  To quote the guy you’re bending yourself into pretzels to defend addressing the other Netanyahu ally currently running for president: will you shut up, man?

                  None of what you just said is true except the part of Biden pretending in public that he’s trying to stop it. PRETENDING.

        • harderian729@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          I have no hope for American politics, same for addressing climate change.

          We don’t fix these problems because we don’t want to.

          You’re just mad at me for calling out reality because you’d rather live in a fantasy.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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            8 months ago

            I’m sorry, I don’t remember you calling out anything and apparently clicking your comment doesn’t link to anything?

            Can you provide context?

            I’m definitely not angry at you, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

            But if you have no hope for climate change while there’s literally a sustainable energy revolution going on, you might be on the wrong side of whichever couch fort you’re assuring up your anger inside.

            • harderian729@lemmy.world
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              But if you have no hope for climate change while there’s literally a sustainable energy revolution going on, you might be on the wrong side of whichever couch for you’re inside.

              We won’t stop burning fossil fuels as long as it remains economically viable.

              This is what I mean by we won’t fix these problems because we don’t want to. There needs to be a massive cultural shift from the ground up, and it loses steam at every pass.

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                8 months ago

                Oh.

                Well, good news, that is actually why solar energy is exploding, because it’s so profitable relative to fossil fuel technology.

                It’s great to be concerned about the problems that fossil fuels had in the past so that whatever issues come up in the future can be dealt with, but sustainable energy is more profitable than dirty energy at this point.

                So the ethics are not why so many industries are switching over, and so many countries are installing sustainable energy, it’s much more than it’s simply profitable and practical with less moving parts at this point.

                And I know this isn’t exactly what you mean, maybe it is, but losing steam is good because solar power doesn’t need steam to produce electricity, it keeps getting more efficient and cheaper literally every month.

        • Aceticon@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          You know what would really help in trying to stop Trump?

          All it takes is for one man, one single man, to stop supporting Israel in its genocide.

          That’s right, Joe Biden could significantly, if not massivelly, improve the chances to stop Trump by changing what he’s doing in this one thing.

          And yet he refuses to do so and instead does a couple of symbolic-to-the-point-of-meaningless actions for show instead.

          Now, ask yourself, if stopping Trump was really that important for him, why would he not stop supporting genocide if that would be a massive help in stopping Trump?!

          The whole “appeal to millions of people to swallow their principles and vote Biden to stop Trump” sounds a little hollow if Biden himself isn’t willing to stop supporting genocide if that’s what it takes to stop Trump.

          I’m starting to wonder if, had Joe Biden been as much a loudmouth as Trump and really said what’s going in his mind rather than the usual carefully controlled messaging, wouldn’t we be hearing quite a similar discourse?! Because I’m really having trouble with the contradiction between between the idea that unlike Trump he is not a bad guy and his actual actions being to chose to give military and diplomatic support to those committing a mass murder at this scale whilst they’re doing it.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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            9 months ago

            I agree that Biden should broadcast his administration’s accomplishments more, but if this war is your single issue, know that trump loves netanyahu, told him to “just finish it” so not exactly your better choice.

            And obviously not the better choice in terms of any other beneficial metric I can think of. Civil rights, sustainability, economy, Biden has him beat.

            Understand that all cutting off US military aid does is compromise US influence in this situation without gaining anything.

            It’d be nice, but it doesn’t change anything in this situation even if the US stopped all israeli military aid tomorrow.

            • Aceticon@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              You’re avoiding the core point: what Biden says and what Biden actually does are two very different things.

              You don’t judge a politician on the talk he talks, you judge him on the walk he walks and Biden’s “walk” is over 100 weapons shipments to Israel whilst they commit a genocide - including of the actual weapons used to commit it - and several vetos at the UN of Ceasefire resolutions.

              It’s not even the case of him doing nothing and people wanting him to help stop the Genocide, it’s a case if him activelly helping the killing by sending Israel the bombs they use for it and stopping others from intervenning by parking aircraft carriers there in support of Israel and vetoing UN Resolutions and refusing to even just become neutral on this conflict.

              His talk is wholly irrelevant (except in that it shows the depths of his hypocrisy) given the chasm between it and his actions, and a pure judgment of his actions that treats his words according to the importance they really have (none at all as he lies just as easilly as Trump), yields the possibility of Biden on this being as evil as Trump or worse - Trump barks a loud bark whilst seldom following through (or being massivelly incompetent at doing so) whilst Biden makes cute puppy noises and whilst giving nasty bites.

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                9 months ago

                It’s very easy to focus on a single country not directly involved in the war and pretend they are solely responsible for everything, but it is missing the forest for trees and I have a more comprehensive core point:

                One ally withholding weapons does not affect the military capability of Israel in this conflict at all and Biden cutting off US military aid now removes US influence in diplomatic situations.

                You’re ignoring the aid drop, you’re ignoring the indefinite aid port being set up, you’re ignoring him meeting with netanyahus political ally, you’re ignoring very important political moves that actively influence Israel and netanyahu.

                • Aceticon@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  First the “you gotta be kidding me” statement: air-dropping 33k meals for 2 million people is not aid, it’s “taking the piss”.

                  As for your whataboutism about other nations, America is responsible for what America does and Joe Biden is the one deciding. What other countries do is up to them and their leaders and they deserve praise or criticism of what they do, not what others do. Further “yeah but those guys do evil too” is not a valid justification for doing evil: if you come across a kid on the floor being kicked by a bully and you see a couple more kids cheering, you don’t join the cheering unless you have the morals of a worm.

                  As for the port, it’s all talk so far and the track record of the Biden administration on this means it’s likely that it will be another “piss take” for symbolic purposes.

                  You’re still very forcefully ignoring the point I’ve been making for 3 posts now, which is that the talkie-talkie of Joe Biden and his goons means nothing at all.

            • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              I agree that Biden should broadcast his administration’s accomplishments more

              If I gave a dollar to Biden for every blind party loyalist pretending that his greatest fault is that he doesn’t brag enough about how wonderful he is, I’d be on the list of special donors that can always get a meeting no matter what.

              Speaking of dollars, is Biden paying you to figuratively fellate him all day today or are you doing it just for the joy of serving your Dear Leader?

              • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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                9 months ago

                I’m not a Biden fan, but I’m a huge fan of accuracy and fact checking.

                And people here are making constant errors and telling lies.

                It’s important to set the record straight, even if that upsets people.

                • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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                  I’m a huge fan of accuracy and fact checking.

                  Non-practicing, I see.

                  people here are making constant errors and telling lies

                  Has nobody told you that it’s weird to refer yourself in the third person plural or that it makes “here” redundant?

                  It’s important to set the record straight, even if that upsets people

                  True, that’s why I’m doing it. It’s a waste of time and effort in this case, though, since you’re obviously as blind a follower of Biden as anyone in the Trump cult is of the Mango Mussolini…

        • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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          9 months ago

          Removed, Rule 5

          “Rule 5: Keep it civil. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (perjorative, perjorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (perjorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect!”

          • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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            Removed, rule 5

            “Rule 5: Keep it civil. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (perjorative, perjorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (perjorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect!”

  • hark@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Minor acts of good (e.g. air-dropping aid and urging temporary ceasefire) while continuing absolute evil business-as-usual is a perfect summary of this administration.

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    In defending its continued arms sales to Israel, despite ever more public misgivings about its conduct of the Gaza war, the administration has argued that they are part of the US’s basic commitment to Israel’s self defence

    Nobody believes that lie anymore. Not even the US and Israeli governments themselves.

    They’re willingly and knowingly aiding and abetting numerous crimes against humanity, including genocide, and no amount of recycling old gaslighting talking points is going to change that.

  • Ricky Rigatoni@lemm.ee
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    9 months ago

    it’s funny because if you use this same loophole for not reporting your bank deposits or income taxes they’ll send you straight to jail

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    9 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The US is reported to have made more than 100 weapons sales to Israel, including thousands of bombs, since the start of the war in Gaza, but the deliveries escaped congressional oversight because each transaction was under the dollar amount requiring approval.

    The Biden administration has become increasingly critical of the conduct of Israeli military operations in Gaza and the failure to allow in meaningful amounts of humanitarian aid, with the death toll now over 30,000 and with famine looming.

    The Washington Post reported that administration officials informed Congress of the 100 foreign military sales to Israel in a classified briefing.

    The state department office of the inspector general found that between 2017 and 2019, the Trump administration had made 4,221 below-threshold arms transfers to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, worth an estimated total of $11.2bn.

    “Israel’s attacks on homes, hospitals – even on civilians waiting to receive humanitarian aid – are clear violations of US and international law, not to mention stated Biden administration policy.”

    Hartung added: “It’s long past time for the administration to cut off arms supplies to Israel as leverage to stop the slaughter in Gaza.


    The original article contains 698 words, the summary contains 192 words. Saved 72%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!