This article was originally published by Lance D. Johnson at Natural News. 

• • The Biden administration is pushing an $8 billion arms deal to Israel, including missiles, artillery shells, and precision munitions, despite mounting evidence of genocide in Gaza.

• • Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, yet the U.S. continues to arm and fund its military campaign.

• • The proposed deal includes weapons like Hellfire missiles and 155mm artillery shells, which have been used in attacks on civilian targets, including schools and hospitals.

• • Despite calls from Democrats and human rights groups to condition arms sales, Biden has refused to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.

• • Israel relies heavily on U.S. military aid, with 78% of its weapons coming from the U.S., enabling its ongoing campaign of destruction in Gaza.

 

State Department pushes $8 Billion arms deal to Israel without Congressional approval

The Biden administration’s decision to push through an $8 billion arms deal with Israel is not just a policy failure—it is a moral catastrophe. At a time when human rights organizations like Amnesty International have unequivocally labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, the U.S. is doubling down on its complicity in the slaughter of Palestinians. This deal, which includes Hellfire missiles, 155mm artillery shells, and precision-guided munitions, is not about “defense.” It is about enabling Israel’s relentless campaign of annihilation in Gaza, where over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, and countless more displaced, starved, and traumatized.

The timing of this deal is particularly grotesque. It comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government continue to escalate their war efforts, flattening entire neighborhoods, bombing hospitals, and targeting civilians with impunity. The U.S.-supplied weapons being used in these attacks are not just tools of war—they are instruments of genocide. From the small-diameter bombs that obliterated a school in June, killing 40 civilians, to the artillery shells that have turned Gaza into a wasteland, every weapon sent to Israel is soaked in Palestinian blood.

Amnesty International calls out Israel’s genocidal actions, demands stop to arms deals with Israel

Amnesty International’s recent report leaves no room for ambiguity: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The organization has called on the U.S. and other arms-supplying nations to halt weapons transfers immediately, warning that continued support makes these countries complicit in Israel’s atrocities. Yet, the Biden administration has chosen to ignore these calls, prioritizing Israel’s “long-term security” over the lives of Palestinians. This is not just a failure of leadership—it is a betrayal of the very principles of human rights and international law that the U.S. claims to uphold.

Israel launched a large-scale military offensive in Gaza following the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas, vowing to destroy Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and secure the release of hostages. The offensive began with intense airstrikes, with around 10,000 strikes in the first two months, many using heavy explosives in densely populated areas, including near hospitals and critical infrastructure. This caused widespread devastation in Gaza, one of the most densely populated regions globally.

On October 13, 2023, Israel ordered 1.1 million people in northern Gaza to evacuate south, including displaced individuals sheltering in UN schools and patients and staff in 23 hospitals. Humanitarian organizations were forced to abandon supplies and re-establish operations in Rafah. Israeli officials used dehumanizing rhetoric, with President Isaac Herzog holding all Gazans responsible for Hamas’s actions, and other leaders equating Palestinian civilians with terrorists. These statements fueled concerns about genocidal intent.

By late 2023, international experts and organizations warned of a potential genocide in Gaza. South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention. The ICJ issued provisional measures to protect Palestinians, but Israel failed to comply. Despite international condemnation, Israel continued its offensive, culminating in a ground operation in Rafah in May 2024, despite warnings of catastrophic humanitarian consequences. Rafah, sheltering over 1 million displaced people, was a key humanitarian hub. The operation drew global criticism and further ICJ orders to halt the offensive.

By October 2024, over 42,000 Palestinians had been killed, including 13,319 children, and nearly 100,000 injured. The destruction of homes and infrastructure was unprecedented, with 63% of Gaza’s structures damaged or destroyed by July 2024. Schools, hospitals, and economic sectors were devastated, leaving 625,000 students without education and displacing over 1 million people. The Rafah crossing, a vital lifeline to Egypt, was destroyed, further isolating Gaza.

In May 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel opened investigations into 70 incidents but only indicted one soldier, reflecting a pattern of impunity. Despite ICJ rulings calling for an end to Israel’s occupation and annexation of Palestinian territories, Israel entrenched its military presence in Gaza, further fragmenting the region.

Amnesty International analyzed Israel’s actions under the Genocide Convention, which defines genocide as acts intended to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. The organization concluded that Israel’s offensive, including its rhetoric and policies, demonstrated intent to destroy a substantial part of the Palestinian population in Gaza, constituting genocide under international law. The analysis emphasized that genocidal intent does not require success in destroying the group and can coexist with military objectives. Amnesty called for accountability and adherence to international law to prevent further atrocities.