The move comes days after the White House committed to not give weapons to states that block American humanitarian aid.
by Connor Echols, Responsible Statecraft
Israel’s finance minister has blocked a major U.S. shipment of humanitarian aid meant to feed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to Axios, setting up a faceoff with the Biden administration, which has come under increasing pressure from Democrats in Congress to increase the flow of aid into the besieged territory.
The news comes just days after President Joe Biden issued a memorandum in which he committed to enforce a little-used provision of U.S. law that bans Washington from giving security assistance to states that block U.S. humanitarian aid. The memorandum drew heavily on a proposal from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) that called for the implementation of U.S. law restricting military aid for human rights violators.

Biden now finds himself in a bind: He can ignore the memo and anger his allies in the Senate; cut off military aid to Israel; or issue a waiver that would allow shipments to continue while conceding that Israeli actions are contrary to U.S. law.
“The most likely possibility is that the president says, ‘Yes, there’s been a restriction, but because of the importance of supporting Israel, we’re going to waive,’” said John Ramming Chappell, an advocacy and legal fellow at the Center for Civilians in Conflict. A waiver, Ramming Chappell argues, “would require being honest about the fact that the Israeli government is restricting the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
Recent Posts
Trump Is Moving Relentlessly Toward Illegal War In Venezuela
October 31, 2025
Take Action Now The Trump administration’s murderous strikes on small boats at sea constitute unlawful extrajudicial killings.By Marjorie Cohn,…
An Obscure Military Program Helps Local Cops Buy Armored Cars And Spyware. It Might Balloon Under Trump.
October 30, 2025
Take Action Now The 1122 program, as it’s known, presents a danger to protesters facing off against militarized cops, according to a new report.By…
‘Extremely Dangerous For Humanity’: Trump Orders Resumption Of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Testing
October 30, 2025
Take Action Now “By foolishly announcing his intention resume nuclear testing,” said one expert, “Trump will trigger strong public opposition in…
The Stunning Hypocrisy Of U.S. Foreign Policy
October 29, 2025
Take Action Now The US government regards the entire world as its legitimate sphere of influence, including the backyards of its rivals.By Donald…




