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Gregory Meeks, a senior Democrat on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Wednesday that he would not approve the Trump administration’s proposed $2.8 billion sale of thousands of heavy bombs to Israel.
Meeks said the administration had not provided sufficient assurances about how Israel would use the weapons. The proposal includes 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, including 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs.
“I am committed to Israel’s security and its ability to defend itself against serious regional threats,” Meeks said. However, he stressed that “serious and unresolved concerns” remained over the potential use of the bombs in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon.
The proposed arms sale was informally submitted to the relevant congressional committees. Meeks said Congress had a responsibility to ensure that US-funded weapons were used lawfully and with safeguards to protect civilian lives.
His objection does not necessarily block the sale. Leaders of congressional committees traditionally review major arms deals through an informal process, but the administration can bypass that process in some circumstances. US President Donald Trump previously bypassed the congressional review procedure to accelerate arms deliveries to Israel.
The proposal comes amid increased scrutiny of Israel’s use of 2,000-pound bombs. Such bombs have been used in Gaza and Lebanon and can cause extensive destruction in densely populated areas.
Former US President Joe Biden temporarily halted shipments of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in 2024 over concerns that they could be used in Gaza. After returning to office in January 2025, US President Donald Trump reversed that policy.
US public opinion on military support for Israel has also shifted. According to a June poll by Quinnipiac University, 48 percent of US voters and 66 percent of Democrats believe Washington is providing too much support to Israel. When the question was first asked in 2017, the figures were 16 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
