The State Department has formally notified Congress of a direct sale of 6,500 joint direct action munitions (JDAM) to Israel — while calls for an arms embargo to the government accused of war crimes grow louder.
JDAMs are guidance kits used to convert non-targeted bombs into more precise “smart” munitions. The order comes after the shipment, valued at $262 million, was reportedly delayed in May, as it was pending under review. Zeteo has learned that the sale will now go through.
The original review came as the U.S. sought to prevent Israeli forces from pursuing a major ground invasion in Rafah — where Israeli forces have nevertheless bombed multiple targets and had a large ground presence for months.
Sarah Leah Whitson, the executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), said it was “mind-boggling” for the administration to move forward with the sale. ….more