Meeks Blocks $2.8 Billion Heavy Bomb Sale to Israel Over Civilian Concerns
Rep. Gregory Meeks has placed a hold on a proposed $2.8 billion US arms sale to Israel, citing concerns over civilian harm.
The senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, announced Wednesday that he will block a proposed $2.8 billion sale of heavy weaponry to Israel, citing what he described as grave and unresolved concerns about how the munitions could be deployed.
In a statement, Meeks said the Trump administration had failed to provide adequate assurances that the weapons would be used by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in line with US law and with proper safeguards for civilians. He pointed specifically to the risk of these arms being used in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon.
"The Trump administration has not provided sufficient assurances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with U.S. law and with appropriate protections for civilians," Meeks said. "I therefore will not clear this sale at this time."
The package, which was informally notified to lawmakers on Tuesday, includes 40,000 powerful 2,000-pound bombs. The transfer of such bombs had previously been paused by the Biden administration over fears of mass casualties.
Meeks' hold is unlikely to halt the transaction. Once the sale is formally notified to Congress, Secretary of State Marco Rubio can bypass the standard congressional review process by issuing an emergency determination that the deal serves an urgent national security interest. Rubio has used that authority before, including to approve a nearly $3 billion sale to Israel last year. In January, the administration approved a further series of arms sales to Israel totaling $6.67 billion.
The State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the proposed sale or on Meeks' objection.
The move comes as Israel faces growing international isolation over its war in Gaza, launched in response to the deadly October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated the enclave. A fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States has been accompanied by continued violence.