Shaheen and Meeks block $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel

Shaheen and Meeks block $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel over Gaza concerns

Democratic members Jeanne Shaheen and Gregory Meeks of the Senate and House Foreign Relations committees opposed a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. The package includes 40,000 one-ton bombs, while Palestinian health officials estimate that around 70,000 people have been killed since October 2023.

Scraper SystemSeptember 20, 2026, 01:25 PM

Shaheen and Meeks block $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel over Gaza concerns

Two Democratic members of the U.S. Congress objected to a planned $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Gregory Meeks, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, blocked the sale.

The package includes 40,000 bombs, each weighing one ton. The Biden administration had previously halted similar shipments over concerns about the civilian casualties that such munitions could cause if used in Gaza.

Shaheen criticizes Netanyahu government

Shaheen filed her objection in July. Her position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee allows her to block major arms sales when the State Department addresses concerns raised by members of Congress.

Shaheen was angered that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to address Democratic lawmakers' concerns over civilian deaths in Gaza, Israeli attacks in Syria and rising violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

In remarks to CNN, Shaheen said there was widespread concern about the impact of Israel's operations in places such as Gaza and Syria on the prospects for a peaceful solution in the Middle East. She said Netanyahu needed to understand that the policies pursued by the United States were not considered satisfactory.

Shaheen said settler violence in the West Bank had driven Palestinians from their homes and disrupted basic infrastructure, adding that the Netanyahu government had not taken sufficient steps to address the situation.

Meeks voices concerns over international law

Gregory Meeks also announced that he had blocked the arms sale to Israel. Meeks said he was concerned about whether the Netanyahu government would use U.S.-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law and U.S. law.

Palestinian health officials estimate that around 70,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas since October 2023. The estimate does not distinguish between civilians and members of armed groups.

Shaheen and Meeks block $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel over Gaza concerns