US Lawmaker Gregory Meeks Opposes Proposed $2.8 Billion Bomb Sale to Israel

WASHINGTON: US Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has announced that he will not clear the Trump administration’s proposed $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, citing concerns over how the weapons could be used.

Meeks said he remains committed to Israel’s security but argued that the proposed transfer raises unresolved questions about whether the munitions would be used in accordance with US and international law, particularly in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon.

According to Reuters, the proposed package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, each weighing 2,000 pounds. The plan has been informally notified to the relevant congressional committees but has not yet been finalised.

The proposed sale is part of a broader US-Israel military relationship and comes amid continuing debate in Washington over American arms transfers during the conflicts in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Meeks said the Trump administration had not provided sufficient assurances that the weapons would be used lawfully and with appropriate safeguards for civilians.

He therefore announced that he would not clear the proposed sale at this time, while distinguishing his position on the specific transfer from his broader support for Israel’s security needs.

Large 2,000-pound bombs have previously been used by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, according to Reuters, prompting concerns from human-rights experts over their use in densely populated areas.

The proposed transfer has been informally shared with congressional committees as part of the arms-sale review process.

However, Meeks’ objection alone does not automatically block the proposed sale. The administration can proceed under the applicable US arms-export procedures, while Congress retains mechanisms for reviewing major military transfers. Reuters reported that the package had not yet been formally completed.

The proposed sale has renewed a broader congressional debate over US military assistance to Israel and the safeguards attached to American weapons.

Meeks has previously scrutinised US arms transfers to Israel and has raised questions about congressional oversight and the use of emergency authorities to accelerate weapons deliveries.

The latest dispute centres on whether the proposed transfer should move forward and what assurances should accompany it regarding compliance with US law, international law and civilian protection.