US secretary of state Marco Rubio signs order to expedite $4 billion military aid to Israel

In an official statement announcing the military aid, Rubio also noted that a partial arms embargo imposed under former president Joe Biden had been reversed.

Also Read: Trump administration approves USD 3 billion arms sale to Israel amid ongoing Gaza conflict

The US state secretary said that he had used emergency authority to expedite the delivery of military aid to Israel amid a shaky ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.

Rubio said that the Trump administration “will continue to use all available tools to fulfil America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats.”

Also Read: Israel agrees to US proposal for temporary Gaza ceasefire, says Netanyahu’s office

Since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, the US has approved for its ally in the Middle East, close to $12 billion in foreign military sales.

On Friday, the Pentagon revealed that the state department had approved the sale of close to $3 billion worth of bombs, demolition kits and other military equipment to Israel.

Also Read: Hamas rejects Israel’s terms for extending Gaza truce, rules out negotiations

Rubio’s declaration expediting the delivery of military aid on an emergency basis, was used to by-pass the practice of chairs and ranking members of the foreign relations committees in the House and the Senate reviewing potential arms sales before formally notifying Congress.

This is the Trump administration’s second time fast-tracking assistance to Israel using this method, which was also used by former President Joe Biden to approve the sales of arms without congressional review.

On Monday, the Trump administration also revoked a Biden-era order which requires potential violations of international law to be reported when they involve US-supplied weapons being used by allies, such as Israel.