US probes 2000-lb bomb shipment in controversial Israel arms deal

Supply of US weapons to Israel has become significant point of tension between Biden administration and Netanyahu

The US and Israel have addressed several problems that have delayed American weapons shipments to Israel, although the delivery of bombs, previously put on hold by President Biden before Israel's invasion of Rafah, remains under review, according to officials from both nations.

The supply of US weapons to Israel has become a significant point of tension between the Biden administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Biden of withholding weapons from Israel. This issue has led to a confrontation between Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Gallant's aides claimed Netanyahu's public dispute with the White House hindered efforts to resolve the supply issues and that Netanyahu released a video to undermine Gallant's visit to Washington. Netanyahu denied this.

US weapons supplies were a major topic during Gallant's meetings with White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Gallant, accompanied by a team of experts from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, discussed arms shipments with a US inter-agency team.

US officials attributed delays to Israel's changing needs, noting that Israel initially requested larger quantities of weapons but later reduced their requests as their strategy in Gaza shifted. At the start of the war, Israel received "off the shelf" weapons expedited without Congressional notification. Recently, fewer weapons were available, requiring a longer approval process. Some delays resulted from misinterpreting Biden's decision to freeze a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs, leading to more thorough scrutiny of each shipment.

After meeting Sullivan, Gallant reported "significant progress" in addressing obstacles and bottlenecks in arms supply. US and Israeli teams reviewed and clarified the status of hundreds of weapons orders, resolving misunderstandings. The only unresolved issue is the 2,000-pound bomb shipment.

Senior officials indicated that Netanyahu's accusations contributed to the ongoing review of the bomb shipment. During a visit by Israeli minister Ron Dermer and national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, Biden's advisors expressed that Netanyahu's video had impeded the release of the bombs. Biden's advisers emphasized that the shipment would not be released under pressure from Netanyahu.

Discussions will continue to find a solution for the 2,000-pound bombs. US officials have conveyed ongoing concerns about these bombs.