Gregory Meeks objected on September 16, 2026, through the congressional process to a roughly $2.8 billion arms package that the Trump administration plans to send to Israel. Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, placed a hold on the package. This does not automatically cancel the sale, but it makes the package more difficult to review and advance for political and procedural reasons.
The planned shipment includes approximately 40,000 heavy bombs in the 2,000-pound class, weighing about 907 kilograms each. The package is expected to contain 20,000 Mk-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs.
Meeks raises concerns about Gaza and Lebanon
While reaffirming his support for Israel’s security, Meeks drew attention to the possibility that the heavy munitions could be used in densely populated areas such as Gaza and Lebanon. He argued that the administration’s assurances that the weapons would be used in accordance with U.S. law and that civilians would be adequately protected were insufficient.
The high destructive power of bombs weighing approximately 907 kilograms is increasing concerns about civilian casualties, particularly if they are used in densely populated areas.
Heavy bomb shipments had been debated before
In May 2024, the Biden administration halted some shipments of 2,000-pound-class bombs over concerns about Israel’s possible operation in Rafah and civilian casualties. The move became a significant turning point in debates over sending heavy munitions to Israel and their use in densely populated areas.
In 2025, the Trump administration lifted some weapons shipment restrictions left by the previous administration and notified Congress of new major arms sales to Israel. New sales approved in January 2026, with a total value of $6.67 billion, were also among the developments showing that U.S. military support for Israel was continuing.
Meeks’ move highlights divisions among Democrats over the conditions under which military support for Israel should continue and how civilians should be protected. However, the hold does not mean that the sale has been definitively canceled or that the shipment has been completely halted; it only makes the package’s political and procedural review in Congress more difficult.
