US approves emergency sale of tank ammunition to Israel

The Pentagon said in a statement that the US State Department on Friday used an emergency declaration under the Arms Export Control Act to immediately deliver $106.5 million worth of tank artillery shells to Israel.

My Banquet of hearse floats for Israel picture 1 — Israeli tanks in the war in Gaza. Photo: Reuters

It is part of a larger aid package the Biden administration is asking Congress to approve, worth more than $500 million and including 45,000 artillery shells for Israel's Merkava tanks - something that has been controversial because of the war in Gaza that has killed so many civilians.

A US State Department official said on Saturday that Washington continues to make clear to the Israeli government that it must comply with international humanitarian law and take every possible step to avoid harming civilians.

According to a Pentagon statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined the aid and gave detailed reasons to the US Congress that tank ammunition must be provided to Israel immediately for the national security interests of the US.

The sale will come from US Army inventories and include 120mm M830A1 multi-purpose anti-tank ammunition with Tracer tank cartridges (MPAT) and related equipment.

“Israel will use the enhanced capabilities to deter regional threats and enhance its ability to defend its homeland,” the Pentagon said, adding that the sale would have no negative impact on US defense readiness.

Israeli Merkava tanks using 120mm artillery shells have been implicated in incidents that have resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians, even journalists, in Gaza and the Lebanese border.

A Reuters investigation recently revealed that an Israeli tank team killed journalist Issam Abdallah and wounded six other reporters in mid-November, firing two artillery shells from Israel while the journalists were filming cross-border shelling.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters)

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