The government of United States President Joe Biden is moving forward with plans to carry out one of the largest military sales in recent times to the State of Israel. According to sources close to the negotiations, the American administration is finalizing details for the sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets, manufactured in the USA, an agreement that promises to surpass the 18 billion dollar mark.
The Strategic Importance of Business
This sale not only reinforces military ties between the two countries, but also presents itself as a demonstration of US strength and support for Israel at a delicate moment in regional geopolitics. So much so that the transaction occurs in parallel with the discussion of a new sale of precision-guided munitions to Israel, components considered to be of high technological sophistication.
What Does the Sale of F-15s Represent?
The negotiation of F-15 fighters is emblematic for several reasons. Firstly, it represents the largest US military sale to Israel since the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas in October, which placed the region under new tension. Furthermore, it highlights the continued US commitment to providing military support to Israel, even in the face of growing international debates about Israeli military operations in Gaza and their humanitarian consequences.
Political and Humanitarian Debate
Arms sales are generating heated debates in the US Congress, especially among members of President Biden’s Democratic party. Lawmakers have discussed the need to condition US military aid to Israel on the latter’s commitment to expanding humanitarian assistance to Gaza and adopting more effective measures to protect civilians in conflict zones.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel in October, which resulted in more than 1,200 Israeli casualties, the US has made more than 100 foreign military sales to Israel. Many of these sales did not reach the financial threshold that would require formal notification to Congress, according to information released to the media. However, the magnitude of this F-15 deal promises to usher in a new phase in diplomatic and military relations between the United States and Israel, possibly redefining the contours of American foreign policy in the Middle East.
