PROGRESSIVE US LEGISLATOR INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO BLOCK SOME WEAPONS TRANSFERS TO ISRAEL

Thu 16 October 2023:

The resolution introduced by Ilhan Omar voices disapproval of US exports of $320m in Spice Family Guided Bomb Assemblies to Israel.

“Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ethnonationalist government continue to commit war crimes in their siege of the Gaza Strip,” Omar said in a statement.

“From requests to minimize civilian casualties, avoid a ground invasion, avoid reoccupation of Gaza, and institute a meaningful humanitarian pause, Netanyahu continues to thumb his nose at US policy and requests,” she said.

“It is the responsibility of Congress to exercise oversight over weapons sales,” added Omar, stressing that legislators must stop weapons sales that “will be used to directly violate US and international law”.

Several US laws and arms transfer policies prohibit the sale of weapons to countries that commit violations of international law, although the Biden administration has repeatedly said it has not made an official assessment of alleged Israeli violations.

Presidents must notify Congress of planned arms transfers to foreign countries, but US lawmakers would need to pass legislation blocking or modifying any transfers – a near impossibility given the current widespread support for Israel within the US legislature.

Omar’s resolution was co-signed by Cori Bush, Summer Lee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Delia Ramirez, and Rashida Tlaib.

NEW: I introduced legislation to block the sale of $320M worth of bomb kits that are already being used to commit atrocities in Gaza.

We cannot allow weapons sales that will be used to directly violate U.S. and international law and human rights. https://t.co/Syb1vdkcQi

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) November 16, 2023