As Tel Aviv accuses the Biden administration of delaying arms transfers to Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports that the White House has yet to deliver 50 F-15 fighter jets to Israel despite the US Congress supporting the move.
The State Department is expected to formally notify Congress of the $18 billion deal after two Democratic lawmakers withdrew their objections last month. But so far, there has been no progress.
Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks withdrew their opposition nearly a month ago to the sale of F-15 “war eagles” to Israel.
The US State Department confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that there is no policy to slow down the transfer of weapons. “We are looking at the tactical timing. It is not a question of if, but when,” the US State Department stressed.
On June 18, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on social media criticizing the Biden administration for delaying arms deliveries to Israel. In response, the White House canceled high-level talks between US and Israeli security officials in Washington, DC.
The F-15 is a twin-engine fighter aircraft manufactured by the American company McDonnell Douglas. The F-15 was delivered to the US Air Force between 1974 and 1994. They were also sold to US allies in the Middle East. The F-15 has a wingspan of 13.05 m and a length of 19.43 m.