(NewsNation) — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) criticized the State Department’s $147.5 million arms sale to Israel, growing the list of Democratic lawmakers who are uneasy with President Joe Biden’s response to the war.
The sale circumvented Congressional approval, which is typically needed for arms sales to other countries. Instead, the State Department said it approved the sale by invoking an emergency provision that avoids a Congressional review.
“Just as Congress has a crucial role to play in all matters of war and peace, Congress should have full visibility over the weapons we transfer to any other nation,” Kaine said in a statement Saturday.
“Unnecessarily bypassing Congress means keeping the American people in the dark. We need a public explanation of the rationale behind this decision—the second such decision this month,” he added.
The State Department said the arms sale is consistent with the U.S.’s commitment to help Israel “develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability.”
In new fighting, Israeli warplanes struck the urban refugee camps of Nuseirat and Bureij in the center of the territory Saturday as ground forces pushed deeper into the southern city of Khan Younis.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said Saturday that more than 21,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s unprecedented air and ground offensive since the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
The ministry said 165 Palestinians were killed over the past 24 hours. It has said about 70% of those killed have been women and children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
