Tuberville and Cotton condemn Biden-Harris administration's weapons delay to Israel

August 3, 2024 - on Friday, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Katie Britt (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and 45 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden-Harris administration protesting its partial arms embargo against Israel. The senators urged the White House to stop kowtowing to Iran, stop jeopardizing the lives of American servicemembers, and to deliver the necessary weapons systems to Israel.

"While your administration delays, Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, the Houthis continue to attack in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah continues its onslaught in northern Israel," the Senators wrote. "Your stalling tactics are endangering our greatest ally in the Middle East and jeopardizing the lives of our American servicemembers stationed in the region. We urge you to use every available emergency authority to expedite the physical delivery of all weapons and ammunition to Israel that have been approved by Congress."

Joining Senators Tuberville and Cotton are U.S. Senators John Barasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and Todd Young (R-Indiana).

The full letter reads:

"Dear President Biden:

This weekend, Hezbollah fired Iranian-made missiles into northern Israel, murdering 12 children and injuring dozens in the single deadliest attack on that part of the country since October 7. The ultimate responsibility for this attack rests with Hezbollah and the ayatollahs in Iran. However, while Tehran financed the attack and Hezbollah conducted it, your fear of escalation has left Israel exposed and our enemies emboldened.

We write once again to protest your administration's partial arms embargo against Israel. The actions of the Biden-Harris administration run counter to our long history of robust military cooperation with Israel and cast doubt upon the reliability of the United States as a long-term security partner. Your actions also violate the will of Congress as expressed in the recent supplemental that funded emergency military support to Israel.

When Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly raised the weapons hold in June, your administration adamantly denied the accusation. You ignored Congressional inquiries, including a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Marshall, a May 6, 2024, letter from Senator Ernst, a May 14, 2024, letter from Senator Risch and a June 20, 2024, letter from Senator Cotton. All the while, you were deliberately delaying the delivery of weapons, ammunition, and equipment to Israel. These include 120 mm tank ammunition, 120 mm mortar ammunition, light tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, F-15s, F-35 engines, joint direct attack munition kits, 2,000 pound bombs, rifles, and guided missile systems.

While your administration delays, Hamas continues to wage war against Israel, the Houthis continue to attack in the Red Sea, and Hezbollah continues its onslaught in northern Israel. Your stalling tactics are endangering our greatest ally in the Middle East and jeopardizing the lives of our American servicemembers stationed in the region. We urge you to use every available emergency authority to expedite the physical delivery of all weapons and ammunition to Israel that have been approved by Congress.

Your administration must stop accommodating Iran and its terrorist allies now."

The Biden-Harris administration had been hoping for a cease fire; but the Tuesday assassination of the primary Hamas negotiator and the assassination of Hezbollah's military commander following the deaths of 14 Israeli children in a Hezbollah rocket attack makes that unlikely. Biden said that the assignations do not make getting a cease fire any easier.