The Biden administration last week put a hold on a shipment of U.S.-made ammunition to Israel, two Israeli officials told Axios.

Why it matters: It is the first time since the Oct. 7 attack that the U.S. has stopped a weapons shipment intended for the Israeli military. The incident raised serious concerns inside the Israeli government and sent officials scrambling to understand why the shipment was held, Israeli officials said. President Biden is facing sharp criticism among Americans who oppose his support of Israel. The administration in February asked Israel to provide assurances that U.S.-made weapons were being used by Israel Defense Forces in Gaza in accordance with international law. Israel provided a signed letter of assurances in March.

  • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    it would be unprecedented in the history of US-Israel relations

    Not unprecedented. Ronald Reagan used the threat of halting arms exports to Israel in '83, in order to end PM Menachem Begin’s terror bombing of Beirut.

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.worldOP
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      8 months ago

      Yes. He then sold arms to Iran, known as the Iran-Contra scandal, which in turn went to Hezbollah, inciting the Israel-Iran proxy war we’re protesting today. Then he provided military aid to Israel under agreement that they use it to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon. He literally is the father of this proxy conflict. Do not glorify his actions.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Do not glorify his actions.

        I don’t think I’m glorifying anything. Merely pointing out a moment in history in which a President threatened arms sales to Israel, prior to this one.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.worldOP
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          8 months ago

          He withheld all aid, not just military, and then provided exclusive military aid with directive for application. He wasn’t “being tough” on Israel. He was telling them where to point the guns. It’s not an example of what we need from Biden, or any president for that matter.

      • Count042@lemmy.ml
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        8 months ago

        How is this the response to a post directly pointing out what you said is wrong.

        “Yes I was wrong, but he was horrible so it doesn’t count.”

        Ronald Reagan was a piece of shit. He also did the thing you said no one had done before.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.worldOP
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          8 months ago

          No, again, he didn’t. He only withheld aid in order to direct the use of the subsequent military aid. That’s not being “tough on Israel.” It’s telling them where to shoot.

          • Count042@lemmy.ml
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            8 months ago

            No, he didn’t. The saturation bombing of Beirut was a step too far, especially as it was fucking with the US’s attempts to broker peace in Lebanon. It also actually pissed Reagan off who described it in the phone call as ‘a holocaust’

            You have the weirdest, most demented, view of American history as it relates to Israel I think I’ve ever seen.