Washington, D.C., [Date] – The Trump administration has approved the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel, reversing a hold placed on the transaction by the Biden administration over concerns that the weapons could be used by extremist Israeli settlers.
According to a document seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter, the US State Department notified Congress on March 6 of a US$24 million sale of Colt Carbine 5.56mm caliber fully automatic rifles. The intended recipient is the Israeli National Police, an agency overseen by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Reversal of Policy and Concerns Over Settler Violence
The Biden administration had previously delayed the sale due to concerns that the rifles might be used by Israeli settlers involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Biden officials had also imposed sanctions on individuals and groups accused of attacking Palestinian civilians. However, on his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order rescinding these sanctions, signaling a major shift in US policy toward Israel.
Since then, his administration has approved billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel, including offensive military equipment. In early April, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted to reject an attempt to block an $8.8 billion arms deal over human rights concerns.
The Israeli government has faced increased scrutiny over settler violence, which has escalated since the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the capture of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza that has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Israel’s Internal Arms Policy and US Involvement
Ben Gvir’s ministry has emphasized arming civilian security squads following the October 7 attack. Reports from The Times of Israel in November 2023 indicated that the ministry was actively equipping Israeli settlers in response to perceived security threats.
The US State Department has not commented on whether it sought assurances from Israel regarding the use of these weapons. The approval of the rifle sale highlights the Trump administration’s close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as its broader policy of strong military support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict.