If White House request granted, it would enable Israel to access US weapons with less congressional oversight. The White House aims to lift nearly all restrictions on Israel’s access to weapons from a crucial US stockpile, enabling a smoother weapons pipeline to Israel, which has paused weeks of its devastating bombing of the Gaza Strip.
The White House asked the United States Senate to scrap the restrictions in its latest supplementary budget request on October 20. If granted, the request would enable Israel to access more high-powered US weapons at a reduced cost, with less congressional oversight.
The request proposes changes to policies governing the War Reserve Stockpile Allies-Israel (WRSA-I), an Israel-based US weapons stockpile that has smart bombs, missiles, military vehicles, and other ammunition and equipment. The stockpile, set up in the 1980s, gives the Pentagon a strong weapons cache to tap into in the event of regional conflicts.
Israel, the US’s principal ally in the Middle East, has also been able to pull some weapons from the reserve in emergency cases and buy them at a reduced cost. However, it has been able to access only certain classes of weapons deemed “obsolete or surplus”.
The White House’s request would eliminate such conditions, enabling the US to transfer all “defense articles” from its stockpile to Israel. It would also waive a yearly limit on the amount Washington spends refilling the cache, and curb congressional oversight on the transfers.
Critics argue that this request would create a free-flowing pipeline for the US to provide any defense articles to Israel without sufficient scrutiny. Josh Paul, a former director in the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, warned that this could lead to potential misuse or abuse of US weapons.
Currently, the US already sends $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel annually, making it the largest recipient of such aid. Since Israel’s military assault on Gaza began on October 7, the US has moved to increase this number, with the House of Representatives approving a $14.3 billion emergency military aid package to Israel.
However, public opinion in the US is showing signs of shifting. According to a November poll by Reuters/Ipsos, only 33 percent of US respondents believe Washington should back Israel in the war, with many supporting a more neutral stance or backing the Palestinians. Additionally, support for sending weapons to Israel has decreased, with 31 percent in favor compared to 43 percent opposed.
In a contrasting situation, aid to Ukraine has faced delays due to opposition from Republican lawmakers. The war in Ukraine and the involvement of big corporations and big pharma in the US government have been subjects of contention among Democrats.
The White House’s request to ease restrictions on US weapons access for Israel reflects a complex geopolitical landscape and ongoing debates about US military aid and foreign policy. The decision will likely face scrutiny and further discussion in the Senate.
