US President Joe Biden is facing opposition from the Democratic Party in Congress over concerns about a lack of transparency in arms transfers to Israel, The Washington Post reported.
The White House has been seeking the authority to bypass notification requirements to Congress that apply to every other country benefiting from US military financing, according to the newspaper.
"I do not support the administration's request to write into law waivers of congressional notification of foreign military financing, including for Israel," Gregory Meeks, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s top Democrat, told The Post.
He rejected claims by a White House official that it would take Congress more than two weeks to approve emergency assistance to Israel.
"There is no reason we cannot both ensure needed US assistance is provided to Israel in an expeditious manner and ensure Congress is able to fulfill its constitutional oversight duty," Meeks argued.
Cori Bush, another House Democrat, told the newspaper that American taxpayers deserved to know what happened to their tax money at a time when thousands of civilians in Gaza were being killed by weapons funneled to Israel from the US.
"At a time when thousands of civilians are being killed by weapons provided by the US government, the American people deserve to be fully informed about what is being provided to other countries, including Israel, with their tax dollars," she said.
Israel is estimated to be the biggest recipient of US aid. The Middle Eastern country receives $3.8 billion every year and has an additional $14 billion earmarked for it in Biden’s $104 billion package, which is still under review by the US Congress.
