From cnn.com:
Trump administration lifts hold on heavy bomb deliveries to Israel
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
President Donald Trump’s administration lifted a hold on heavy bomb deliveries to Israel, an administration official said Saturday, rolling back one of the few Biden-era policies meant to exert leverage on Israel amid its war in Gaza.
“A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday evening, in an apparent allusion to the move.
That move, which was reported earlier by Axios, was widely expected and had been signaled to Israeli officials by incoming Trump officials, people familiar with the matter said.
Some background: Former President Joe Biden had restricted the delivery of the 2,000-pound bombs out of concern they could be used indiscriminately by Israel’s military in densely populated areas of Gaza.
Biden first revealed his decision to limit the weapons deliveries in an interview with CNN.
“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” he told CNN’s Erin Burnett last year.
At the time, the president’s announcement that he was prepared to condition American weaponry on Israel’s actions amounted to a turning point in the seven-month conflict between Israel and Hamas.
It caused tensions to deepen between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused the US of hampering his ability to go after Hamas terrorists.
But it did not ultimately portend any major changes in the war, which stretched on for months until Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire-for-hostages deal early this year.
Nor did it significant improve Biden’s standing among progressives, who argued for significantly tighter restrictions on American arms sales to Israel.
Trump administration lifts hold on heavy bomb deliveries to Israel
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
President Donald Trump’s administration lifted a hold on heavy bomb deliveries to Israel, an administration official said Saturday, rolling back one of the few Biden-era policies meant to exert leverage on Israel amid its war in Gaza.
“A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel, but have not been sent by Biden, are now on their way!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday evening, in an apparent allusion to the move.
That move, which was reported earlier by Axios, was widely expected and had been signaled to Israeli officials by incoming Trump officials, people familiar with the matter said.
Some background: Former President Joe Biden had restricted the delivery of the 2,000-pound bombs out of concern they could be used indiscriminately by Israel’s military in densely populated areas of Gaza.
Biden first revealed his decision to limit the weapons deliveries in an interview with CNN.
“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” he told CNN’s Erin Burnett last year.
At the time, the president’s announcement that he was prepared to condition American weaponry on Israel’s actions amounted to a turning point in the seven-month conflict between Israel and Hamas.
It caused tensions to deepen between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused the US of hampering his ability to go after Hamas terrorists.
But it did not ultimately portend any major changes in the war, which stretched on for months until Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire-for-hostages deal early this year.
Nor did it significant improve Biden’s standing among progressives, who argued for significantly tighter restrictions on American arms sales to Israel.