Pausing military aid seen as key tool in a president’s foreign policy toolbox

President Biden’s Decision to Withhold Bomb Shipments to Israel

Although congressional Republicans have been slamming President Joe Biden over his decision to withhold certain bomb shipments to Israel, such a move is not unprecedented, as they’ve claimed.

Previous Presidents’ Actions

Previous presidents, including Republican ones, have withheld aid to send a clear message to Israel and other allies, a foreign policy expert told ABC News.

However, given Biden’s dispute with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu over a planned major invasion of Rafah and the risk of civilian casualties — combined with political unrest in the U.S. – his move carries a heavier risk, said Michael Sullivan, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

“This is all part of security cooperation,” Sullivan said. “At the end of the day, the president has the right to use every tool he can in his toolbox.”

Historical Precedents

Sullivan, a retired U.S. Army colonel who was involved with U.S. arms transfers, noted that Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush both halted key aid to Israel during their terms over concerns about Israeli actions.

In the summer of 1981, President Reagan held back the delivery of U.S. fighter jets to Israel for two months after it bombed a nuclear reactor in Iraq.

In July 1982, he halted a shipment of cluster shells to Israel over how Israel used the weapons during its invasion of Lebanon. American officials at the time were reviewing if the use of the weapons violated an agreement between the U.S. and Israel.

Political Scrutiny

Sullivan said that there wasn’t much political criticism of Reagan or Bush’s aid pauses both domestically and internationally because the conflict in the Middle East was not at the front and center of foreign policy as it is today.

“Even when you had that rift there was still a clear understanding of U.S.-Israeli foreign policy and everybody moved on,” he said.

Biden’s Decision

The Biden administration told Israel last week that it would withhold the shipment of 3,500 bombs due to its concerns over an offensive into Rafah and the threat that posed to more than one million Palestinian civilians seeking refuge there.

Biden told CNN Wednesday that Israel has used those American weapons to kill civilians in its war on Hamas in Gaza.

The president and other White House officials have stressed their commitment to support Israel.

Republican Criticism

Several Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, have blasted Biden’s move.

Graham said Israel is fighting a “just war” and making efforts to warn civilians before attacks.

Sullivan said the Republicans’ objections not only ignored the precedent set by previous administrations when it comes to U.S-Israel policy, but also the fundamental understanding of the powers of the president when it comes to foreign relations.

Impact and Future Actions

Sullivan emphasized that Biden’s move did not end military aid to Israel and the nation still has enough firepower to defend itself or launch an attack on Rafah.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby did not have a timeline on how long the hold on the shipment will last, stating Thursday he believed “a lot is going to depend on what we see in Israel do in Rafah and in their planning for Rafah.”

Sullivan said it is hard to predict the short-term outcome of Biden’s action given the volatility of the situation.

abcnews.go.com

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