The State Department approves the sale of tank ammunition to Israel in a deal that bypasses Congress

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Going around Congress, the Biden administration says it’s approved the emergency sale to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition worth more than $106 million as Israel intensifies its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip. The State Department said in a statement Saturday that it notified Congress of the sale late Friday, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the munitions in the U.S. national security interest. That means the purchase will bypass the congressional review requirement for foreign military sales. Such determinations are rare, but not unprecedented, when administrations see an urgent need for weapons to be delivered without waiting for lawmakers’ approval.