WASHINGTON: The top Democrat in the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday said he would not approve a huge arms transfer to Israel including F-15 fighter jets until he has more details regarding the use of the weapons.
Representative Gregory Meeks told US media that he was waiting for assurances regarding the use of the arms.
According to western media, President Joe Biden’s administration has been weighing whether to go ahead with an $18 billion arms transfer deal for Israel that would include dozens of F-15 aircraft.
The development came as Biden faced mounting pressure from foreign allies, human rights groups and some Democrats in Congress to place conditions on Israel before arms transfers.
Since the war started between Hamas and Israel on October 7 in Gaza, the besieged enclave faces famine and widespread disease with nearly all its residents now homeless.
Under the US law Congress should be notified of major foreign military sales deals, and allows it to block such sales by passing a resolution of disapproval over human rights violations.
Meeks expressing his views said there has been enough bombing in Gaza by Israel and he doesn’t want more weapons to be utilised by Israel to have more deaths.
According to the Gaza health ministry, Israeli relentless bombardment has killed at least 33,360 Palestinians, mostly women and children since October 7.
