The United States Department of State issued an emergency declaration to American parliamentarians on Friday night (8) for the sale of ammunition to Israel, as revealed to CNN a source directly linked to the subject.
The measure bypasses the standard 20-day period that congressional committees typically have to review these types of negotiations.
The statement was followed by a request from the State Department earlier this week for Congress to approve the sale of 45,000 munitions to Israel for its Merkava tanks.
The source added that the House Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which oversee military sales, had been under “pressure” from the State Department to approve the request quickly amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Committees typically have 20 days to review U.S. military sales to other countries, allowing lawmakers to raise questions about a transaction and delay it if necessary.
But on Friday night, the State Department transmitted an emergency declaration to the committees for 13,000 tank shells, worth about $106 million, for immediate delivery to Israel, the source said.
“With immediate effect, the items can be transferred,” the source said. “No additional information, details or assurances were provided.”
The government’s decision to transfer some of the munitions comes at a time when the United States is under increasing pressure at home and abroad to support a ceasefire in Gaza and impose conditions on some of the weapons the country gives to Israel.
“As a matter of policy, we do not confirm or comment on proposed defense transfers or sales until they are formally notified to Congress,” a State Department spokesperson told CNN when asked about the emergency order.
See also: Israel uses Hamas material to plan offensive
Source: CNN Brasil
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