The top general in the United States remarked on Thursday that Israel’s requests for weaponry have not been entirely fulfilled. This shortfall is attributed partly to concerns about potential impacts on the readiness of the US military and logistical constraints, as reported by Reuters.
General Charles Q. Brown, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged, “Although we’ve been supporting them with capability, they’ve not received everything they’ve asked for,” during an event hosted by the Defense Writers Group.
Adding further context, Brown noted, “Some of that is because they’ve asked for stuff that we either don’t have the capacity to provide or not willing to provide, not right now.”
In clarification, a spokesperson for General Brown emphasized that his remarks reflected a standard procedure prior to granting military aid to any allies or partners.
Navy Captain Jereal Dorsey elaborated on this stance, stating, “We assess US stockpiles and any possible impact on our own readiness to determine our ability to provide the requested aid,” as quoted by Reuters.
He further reiterated, “There is no change in US policy. The United States continues to provide security assistance to our ally Israel as they defend themselves from Hamas.”
Annually, the US extends $3.8 billion in military assistance to Israel. Nevertheless, amidst Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, there have been increasing calls for the Biden administration to reassess this aid package.
Most notably, Senator Bernie Sanders has advocated for conditioning US aid to Israel. While recognizing Hamas’s initiation of the conflict, Sanders argued that Israel’s extensive military response against the Palestinian populace is unwarranted.
Despite these calls, US Vice President Kamala Harris affirmed that the US will not attach conditions to the aid allocated to Israel. However, reports from Politico suggest a growing willingness among Biden, Harris, and other administration figures to scrutinize Israel’s strategies in combating Hamas.
{Matzav.com}
