WASHINGTON: The chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee urged President Joe Biden on Thursday to speed up weapons shipments to Israel, including 2000-pound (907 kg) bombs that have been held up for months over human rights concerns.
“I urge you to act today to ensure all weapons shipments to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs, are expedited to support our ally,” Representative Michael McCaul said in a letter sent to Biden and seen by Reuters on Thursday.
McCaul, who reviews all major foreign US weapons sales in his position as committee chairman, said he was also aware of more than 10 other planned weapons sales to Israel that have been awaiting final approval for more than four months and urged that they proceed quickly.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McCaul sent the letter amid global fears that the Middle East will erupt into widespread war, which have fueled calls in Washington for the Biden administration to provide more assistance to Israel.
Israel, which has been fighting Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza for almost a year, has sent troops into southern Lebanon, where it is targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, after two weeks of intense airstrikes.
Iran barraged Israel with more than 180 ballistic missiles on Tuesday. Israel has sworn it will retaliate.
US Republicans have been urging Biden for months to reverse his decision earlier this year to pause one shipment of the 2,000-pound bombs, citing concern over the impact they could have in densely populated areas in Gaza.
One 2,000-pound bomb can rip through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide blast radius.
“We all wish Israel did not need these larger bombs, but they are operationally necessary as Israel’s enemies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, are intentionally using deeply buried subterranean bunkers and tunnels. I call on you to allow these weapons, which are ready to ship, to be sent to Israel immediately,” McCaul wrote.
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Influential US Republican urges Biden to speed Israel arms sales, letter says
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Influential US Republican urges Biden to speed Israel arms sales, letter says
- Michael McCaul urged the speedy release of withheld weapons amid global fears that the Middle East will erupt into widespread war
- Biden had shipment of the 2,000-pound bunker-busting bomb, citing concern over the impact they could have in densely populated areas
Outcry as French journalist held for covering Istanbul protest
The French foreign ministry said it hoped Boukandoura would be “freed as quickly as possible,“
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura
ISTANBUL: A French journalist arrested while covering a pro-Kurdish protest in Istanbul remained in police custody on Tuesday, prompting growing calls for his release, including from France’s government.
Raphael Boukandoura, who works for various French publications, including well-known outlets Liberation and Courrier International, was detained late Monday at a protest over a military operation targeting Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Boukandoura has lived legally in Turkiye for at least a decade and holds an official press card.
In a statement to AFP, the French foreign ministry said it hoped Boukandoura would be “freed as quickly as possible,” indicating its diplomats in Turkiye were “closely monitoring the situation.”
At the protest, called by the pro-Kurdish party DEM, party officials called for “an immediate halt to the attacks” and the protection of civilians in northeastern Syria.
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura.
Two weeks ago, Syrian government troops launched an offensive against Kurdish-led forces — an operation publicly welcomed by Turkiye, despite its own efforts to pursue a peace process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to the rights group MLSA, Boukandoura told police he was present strictly as a journalist and covering the protest for the French daily Liberation.
Erol Onderoglu of media-rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the detention as “arbitrary.”
“Boukandoura is not a protester, and he cannot be treated as a criminal simply because he is a journalist, he is performing a public service,” he told AFP.
“This grave injustice must be reversed.”
Liberation, along with Courrier International, Mediapart, and Ouest-France — other outlets that have published Boukandoura’s work — all issued statements calling for his immediate release.
France’s National Union of Journalists (SNJ) also urged Turkish authorities to free him, saying he was “simply doing his job.”
“Freedom of information is a fundamental right,” the union said.
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura
ISTANBUL: A French journalist arrested while covering a pro-Kurdish protest in Istanbul remained in police custody on Tuesday, prompting growing calls for his release, including from France’s government.
Raphael Boukandoura, who works for various French publications, including well-known outlets Liberation and Courrier International, was detained late Monday at a protest over a military operation targeting Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Boukandoura has lived legally in Turkiye for at least a decade and holds an official press card.
In a statement to AFP, the French foreign ministry said it hoped Boukandoura would be “freed as quickly as possible,” indicating its diplomats in Turkiye were “closely monitoring the situation.”
At the protest, called by the pro-Kurdish party DEM, party officials called for “an immediate halt to the attacks” and the protection of civilians in northeastern Syria.
Police broke up the protest, arresting 10 people, including Boukandoura.
Two weeks ago, Syrian government troops launched an offensive against Kurdish-led forces — an operation publicly welcomed by Turkiye, despite its own efforts to pursue a peace process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to the rights group MLSA, Boukandoura told police he was present strictly as a journalist and covering the protest for the French daily Liberation.
Erol Onderoglu of media-rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the detention as “arbitrary.”
“Boukandoura is not a protester, and he cannot be treated as a criminal simply because he is a journalist, he is performing a public service,” he told AFP.
“This grave injustice must be reversed.”
Liberation, along with Courrier International, Mediapart, and Ouest-France — other outlets that have published Boukandoura’s work — all issued statements calling for his immediate release.
France’s National Union of Journalists (SNJ) also urged Turkish authorities to free him, saying he was “simply doing his job.”
“Freedom of information is a fundamental right,” the union said.
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