ALWAGHT- The US president has authorized the transfer of a shipment of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs to the occupied Palestinian territories, reversing a freeze imposed by his predecessor as a symbolic critique of Israel's intense bombardment of densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip using American-supplied ammunition.
Former US President Donald Trump has lifted a ban, originally imposed by Joe Biden, on the transfer of 1,800 MK-84 bombs to Israel. According to a report by Axios citing Israeli officials, the Pentagon is set to deliver the bombs in the coming days. Biden had enacted the ban in May 2024 during Israel’s ongoing war against Gaza, portraying it as a symbolic protest against Israel’s invasion of Rafah, a critical border city housing the Rafah Crossing.
Rumors of the ban being overturned began circulating as early as July 2024, leading to significant tension between the US and Israel. The decision to block the shipment caused what was described as the most significant crisis in US-Israeli relations during the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies used the ban to rally Republican opposition against Biden, with some falsely claiming it amounted to a US arms embargo on Israel. Meanwhile, Biden faced criticism from pro-Israeli factions within the US.
Under Biden’s administration, the US provided Israel with $17.9 billion in military aid between October 2023 and October 2024, significantly exceeding its usual annual support. Despite the massive aid, the war continued until a ceasefire agreement was reached less than a week ago, following effective resistance operations by Palestinian and regional forces against Israel’s military actions.
