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U.S. NEWS Saturday 30 december 2023

The Biden administration once more bypasses Congress on an

emergency weapons sale to Israel

By MATTHEW LEE ians and has embedded it-
AP Diplomatic Writer self among the civilian pop-
WASHINGTON (AP) — For ulation, but that does not
the second time this month lessen Israel’s responsibility
the Biden administration and strategic imperative
is bypassing Congress to to distinguish between civil-
approve an emergency ians and Hamas terrorists as
weapons sale to Israel as Is- it conducts its military op-
rael continues to prosecute erations,” the department
its war against Hamas in said. “This type of cam-
Gaza under increasing in- paign can only be won by
ternational criticism. protecting civilians.”
The State Department said Bypassing Congress with
Friday that Secretary of emergency determinations
State Antony Blinken had for arms sales is an unusual
told Congress that he had step that has in the past
made a second emergen- met resistance from law-
cy determination cover- makers, who normally have
ing a $147.5 million sale for a period of time to weigh
equipment, including fuses, in on proposed weapons
chargers and primers, that transfers and, in some cas-
is needed to make the 155 es, block them.
mm shells that Israel has al- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken deplanes at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) In May 2019, then-Secre-
in Zumpango, on the outskirts of Mexico City, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023
ready purchased function. Associated Press tary of State Mike Pompeo
“Given the urgency of Is- made an emergency de-
rael’s defensive needs, the nal review requirement for Ukraine, Israel and other tential criticism of the sale termination for an $8.1 bil-
secretary notified Congress foreign military sales. Such national security needs re- on human rights grounds lion sale of weapons to Sau-
that he had exercised his determinations are rare, mains stalled in Congress, by saying it was in constant di Arabia, the United Arab
delegated authority to but not unprecedented, caught up in a debate touch with Israel to empha- Emirates and Jordan after
determine an emergency when administrations see over U.S. immigration pol- size the importance of mini- it became clear that the
existed necessitating the an urgent need for weap- icy and border security. mizing civilian casualties, Trump administration would
immediate approval of the ons to be delivered with- Some Democratic lawmak- which have soared since have trouble overcom-
transfer,” the department out waiting for lawmakers’ ers have spoken of making Israel began its response to ing lawmakers’ concerns
said. “The United States is approval. Blinken made a the proposed $14.3 billion the Hamas attacks in Israel about the Saudi and UAE-
committed to the security similar decision on Dec. 9, in American assistance to on Oct. 7. “We continue to led war in Yemen. Pompeo
of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. to approve the sale to Is- its Mideast ally contingent strongly emphasize to the came under heavy criti-
national interests to ensure rael of nearly 14,000 rounds on concrete steps by Israeli government of Israel that cism for the move, which
Israel is able to defend itself of tank ammunition worth Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- they must not only comply some believed may have
against the threats it fac- more than $106 million. tanyahu’s government to with international humani- violated the law because
es,” it said. Both moves have come reduce civilian casualties tarian law, but also take ev- many of the weapons in-
The emergency determina- as President Joe Biden’s in Gaza during the war with ery feasible step to prevent volved had yet to be built
tion means the purchase request for a nearly $106 Hamas. The State Depart- harm to civilians,” it said. and could not be delivered
will bypass the congressio- billion aid package for ment sought to counter po- “Hamas hides behind civil- urgently. q

Maine’s deadliest shooting propels homicides to new high in the

state

By DAVID SHARP said state police spokes- police detectives in other
Associated Press person Shannon Moss. As parts of the state, Moss said.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — of Friday, the tally stood at Homicide investigations are
The deadliest mass shoot- 51 homicides, with several exceptionally painstaking
ing in Maine history pro- active death investigations and time consuming, and
pelled homicides to a new still underway, she said. Moss said state police were
high in the state in 2023, That stands in stark contrast “buried under a mountain
topping 50 to shatter the to 2000, when there were of work.”
previous record as the end only 11 homicides, the low- The homicides in Maine
of the year approaches, est since the state began included another mass
officials said. Eighteen compiling numbers. The ho- shooting, the April killing of
people were killed and 13 micides didn’t end with the four people in Bowdoin by
injured in the Oct. 25 shoot- shootings in Lewiston by an a man who’d been recent-
ings in Lewiston, a stunning Army reservist, Robert Card ly released from the Maine
crime in a state that prides II, who died by suicide. No- State Prison. Three others
itself on low crime rates, vember was also a deadly were shot on I-295 before
and those deaths helped month, with at least 10 ho- the gunman’s arrest. Jo-
Crime scene tape still surrounds Schemengees Bar & Grille, push the number of killings micides, and overworked seph Eaton is awaiting trial
Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. beyond the previous re- investigators needed re- on charges including four
Associated Press cord of 40 killings in 1989, inforcements from state counts of murder.q