U.S. Flags Israel on Use of American-Made Arms
Aug. 28 -- The United States has told Israel that a report may have to be sent to Congress indicating it is improperly using American-made weapons for killing Palestinian leaders, a senior State Department official told ABCNEWS today.
The Arms Export Control Act requires that U.S.-supplied weapons obtained by foreign countries be used only for "legitimate self-defense." In the event of substantial violations, the executive branch is required to notify Congress.
Congress would have to decide if it wanted to impose some sort of punishment.
Palestinians argue recent attacks by helicopters and fighter aircraft were offensive operations. The Israeli government contends they were defensive, targeting the planners of recurring terror attacks against Israel citizens.
No Determination Yet
So far, the U.S. government has not decided whether American arms are being misused.
"We have not made any determination or decisions that the provisions of the law might have been violated," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.
He noted the act also permits use of U.S. weapons for "internal security."
Boucher said U.S. officials were not urging the Israelis to stop using U.S. weapons for the killings, per se, but rather, to stop the attacks altogether.
"The focus of our discussions with the Israelis is on calming the situation and ending the violence. That remains the subject of discussion," he said.
But he added, "We do think that the use of heavy weaponry in populated areas runs a high risk of civilian casualties, and we have been opposed to it."
Pressure on the U.S. for Action
The issue has become an increasingly thorny one for the United States government, drawing increased condemnation from Arab countries.
"It does have a negative factor in the region, when the Arabs equate Israeli killings with the United States," says Robert Malley of the Center for Middle East Peace.
The United States is the principal supplier of weapons to Israel, providing some $5.2 billion in arms over the last four years, financed largely by annual grants of military aid by Congress. Such weapons include F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft and attack helicopters.
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