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While urging a ceasefire in Gaza, the US has approved selling F-15 jets and military hardware to Israel. The timing raises questions about Washington’s commitment to peace, as it continues to supply Israel with weapons amid a devastating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza read more
 "US advocates ceasefire in Gaza, but approves $20 billion arms deal with Israel")
US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US, July 25, 2024. File Image/Reuters
The United States, while publicly advocating for a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict, has paradoxically approved a massive $20 billion arms deal with Israel, including advanced F-15 fighter jets and other military hardware.
This decision, announced by the Pentagon on Tuesday (August 13), raises questions about Washington’s commitment to de-escalation in the region, as it continues to supply Israel with the very tools of war that have fuelled the conflict.
The arms deal
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s approval of the arms package, which includes nearly $19 billion worth of F-15 jets, tank cartridges valued at $774 million, and other military equipment, appears tin stark contrast to President Joe Biden’s earlier calls for a ceasefire.
Despite the Pentagon’s statement that deliveries of the jets will not begin until 2029, and other equipment starting in 2026, the timing of this approval seems to send a strong signal of unwavering US support for Israel’s military campaign, now in its tenth month.
Genocide allegations on Israel
Since the conflict’s eruption in October, the US has already supplied Israel with thousands of Hellfire missiles and over 10,000 highly destructive bombs. These deliveries have played a significant role in the devastating impact on Gaza, where nearly 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, according to local health authorities.
Israel is facing genocide allegations in the World Court— allegations that Israel vehemently denies.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, took to social media to express gratitude for the continued US commitment, posting about the importance of maintaining Israel’s “qualitative military edge” in the region.
The ceasefire process
This arms deal approval occurs against a backdrop of US-led diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire, which have thus far been unsuccessful. President Biden’s proposed three-phase Gaza ceasefire plan, presented in late May, has yet to gain traction, as the US continues to arm Israel, seemingly undermining its own diplomatic initiatives.
The contradiction between the US’s diplomatic stance and its military actions casts a long shadow over Washington’s role as a peace broker in the region.
With inputs from Reuters
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English (US) ·