White House Halts Transfer of Weapons to Israel

Lea Speyer : Aug 14, 2014
Breaking Israel News

Israel is now relying on a Congressional vote in the fall of a $225 million military aid package.

(Israel)—The Obama administration announced that it has halted a shipment of Hellfire aerial anti-armor missiles to Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Photo: Edi Israel/Flash90)

A government official said that Israel has repeatedly requested the immediate transfer of much needed munitions from the Pentagon but have failed to receive approval from the White House or the State Department.

Citing government sources, the White House is purportedly concerned about Israel's use of artillery along the Gaza border rather than the use of precision-guided munitions in densely populated areas of the Strip.

According to the report, White House officials were upset when they realized how little they were able to influence Israeli arms replenishment. The US government has repeatedly expressed its unhappiness of the damage done in Gaza.

A US official quoted by the Journal said that the conflict in Gaza has "persuaded them that Mr. Netanyahu and his national security team are both reckless and untrustworthy."

Upon launching Operation Protective Edge, Israel requested money from the US to purchase more Iron Dome batteries from the US Department of Defense. The Journal noted that while Israeli officials told their American counterparts they had enough interceptor missiles for the current Gaza campaign, they wanted to restock.

The report said that with Israel's consent and the Obama administrations urging, Israel took back its request for emergency funding and are now relying on a Congressional vote in the fall of a $225 million military aid package.

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