The United States government has approved a $7.4 billion arms sale to Israel, a move that has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress. The Pentagon announced that the State Department had approved the sale of approximately $6.75 billion worth of munitions, guidance kits, and missiles, with Boeing as a primary contractor. The Pentagon also approved a separate sale of approximately $660 million worth of Hellfire missiles, with Lockheed Martin as the primary contractor.
The approval comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the administration for approving the sale without first notifying Congress. In the US, it is customary for the administration to consult with Congress before approving major arms sales.
Meeks stated that he "continues to support Israel's critical military needs in the face of a number of regional threats" but that he had "engaged with the administration on a number of questions and concerns." He added that he had expressed concerns about the sale and that the administration had failed to provide key documents and justifications as requested.
Meeks said the administration's decision demonstrated a lack of respect for Congress, stating, "We don't have kings in the United States, we are a democracy governed by laws, rooted in the Constitution." The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
In January, the Biden administration notified Congress of its intention to sell $8 billion worth of arms to Israel. It is a long-standing practice in the US for the administration to give Congress the opportunity to review major arms sales and request further information before formally notifying Congress of the sale.