War in the Middle East: Report: USA supplies Israel with thousands of bombs

Despite U.S. concerns about Israel’s planned ground offensive against the refugee-crowded city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, Washington is supplying Israel with thousands more heavy bombs and warplanes, according to a newspaper report. Despite the tense relations between the two countries in recent days, US President Joe Biden has “quietly” approved the delivery of, among other things, more than 1,800 of the 2,000-pound bombs (around 907 kg) of the MK84 type and 500 MK82 bombs , the Washington Post reported, citing US officials.

According to the US television channel CNN, senior representatives of both allies may hold talks in Washington next Monday about Israel’s planned action against Rafah. Washington considers a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah to be wrong because of the hundreds of thousands of civilians there and would like to show Israel alternatives.

Will Israel’s ultra-Orthodox soon be drafted into the army?

However, the scheduling is made more difficult by the fact that Israel’s government has to draw up a new law on the issue of conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men by Sunday, it said. Because of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s government is under pressure to end the exemption of the ultra-Orthodox community from military service.

A law allowing their exemption expired last year. Since then, a temporary regulation has been in effect – but only until the end of this month. Israel’s government, which includes strict religious parties, is working on a new law to exempt ultra-Orthodox believers. Netanyahu had asked the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for drafting a bill.

Following an interim court order this week to end state subsidies for ultra-Orthodox men of military age from April 1, a ruling on whether these men will also be subject to military conscription in the future could follow on Sunday. Unless the court grants Netanyahu’s request for a further 30-day delay. Therefore, it is still unclear whether the Israeli delegation will be allowed to travel to the USA while this domestic political matter is still in flux, CNN reported. U.S. officials said an exact date for the visit had not been set.

Report: Israel asked US to postpone meeting

An Israeli delegation was actually supposed to arrive this week. But Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu quickly canceled the trip after the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire without opposition from the USA. The Israelis had suggested postponing the talks until Monday, CNN quoted US officials as saying.

Relations between Israel and its most important ally are currently in poor shape. In addition to US concerns about an offensive in Rafah, Netanyahu is beset by constant calls for more humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. There are also warnings to finally present a strategy for the administration of the conquered territory.

USA reiterates support for Israel in the fight against Hamas

However, the strained relations did not stop US President Joe Biden from continuing to send billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, wrote the Washington Post. US government officials repeatedly repeat Biden’s promise to Israel to unconditionally support the country in the war against the Islamist Hamas.

The US government sees it as taboo to use arms transfers as a means to exert influence over Netanyahu, the newspaper wrote. Last week, the US State Department approved the delivery of 25 F-35A fighter jets. This was already approved by Congress in 2008, so the department was not required to provide a new notification to the legislature. The MK84 and MK82 bombs approved this week were also approved by Congress years ago but have not yet been delivered.

Israel sends another delegation to negotiations

Meanwhile, the indirect negotiations over a ceasefire and the release of hostages, which recently came into crisis, are set to continue. Israel will send a high-ranking delegation to Qatar and Egypt in the coming days, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said.

The head of government assured the negotiating team, led by the head of the Israeli foreign secret service Mossad and the head of the domestic secret service Shin Bet, leeway in the negotiations. No further details were given. For weeks, the USA, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in order to achieve a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages kidnapped from Israel for Palestinian prisoners. Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly.

According to media reports, the Israeli negotiating delegation was ordered back from Qatar a few days ago, except for a small team. The reason was that Hamas had rejected a compromise proposal from the USA. The terrorist organization insists on a comprehensive ceasefire, including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel rejects this. Israel’s goal is to destroy Hamas.

The Gaza war was triggered by a massacre that terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups committed in Israel on October 7th. They brutally killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 hostages into the Gaza Strip. Just over 100 of those abducted were released as part of an agreement in November. According to Israeli estimates, almost 100 hostages held by Hamas are still alive.