US Senator Ted Cruz asks Joe Biden to deliver more weapons to support Israeli military

US Senator Ted Cruz has called upon President Joe Biden to deliver more weaponry to Israel in the aftermath of the 11-day war. The Republican lawmaker along with Senator Bill Hagerty is currently in Israel to access the destruction caused by the conflict between the Benjamin Netanyahu led state and Islamist Fundamentalist group Hamas. More than 230 Palestinians, including 65 children and 12 Israelis, including a 5 year and a 16-year-old were killed in the conflict, as reported by the Associated Press.

In a Tweet, Cruz asked Biden to "replenish" Israel' Iron Dome missile defence system, a promise that the Democratic leader made soon after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. However, in recent times, the party has been divided on US support to Israel. Party members including Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib have called upon Biden to sanction the zionist for their indiscriminate bombardment of the Gaza Strip. 

Arms sale

It is imperative to note that, last week, Cruz introduced a resolution approving arms sales to Israel after Democrats voiced concern and moved to block a $735 million sale of precision-guided weapons. Both Cruz and Hagerty are part of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee and will tour Israel’s southern cities, which were heavily targeted by Hamas, and sit down with Israeli leaders to reaffirm the Republican Party’s unwavering support for security alliance with America.

This comes as US State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Isreal on May 25 and vowed to “rally international support” to aid Gaza following the devastating 11-day war while also keeping any assistance out of Hamas’ reach. The top US official made the remarks standing next to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem as he kicked off his Middle Eastern Diplomatic Mission. Despite being Israel’s longest-standing ally and promising to replenish the country’s Iron Dome defence system, Washington, last week clarified that it would equally aid the Gaza Strip to rebuild itself.

“We know that to prevent a return to violence, we have to use the space created to address a larger set of underlying issues and challenges. And that begins with tackling the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza and starting to rebuild,” Blinken told reporters.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas-led militants in the Gaza Strip has held since May 21. At about 2:00 am (Israel Daylight Time), both the warring parties announced a ceasefire, ending the 11-day war. The truce witnessed a brief weak moment after as a scuffle erupted between Palestinians and Israeli Security Forces at the contested Al-Aqsa complex, however, the overall situation has remained stable.

Image: AP