Biden halts military aid to nations violating civilian protections

Biden’s issues new military aid directive to unify Democrats and enforce global civilian protection standards

President Joe Biden gave a directive on Saturday that authorizes a swift halt to military aid for countries violating international civilian protection standards. The directive aims to address differences among Democrats regarding his military backing for Israel’s actions in Gaza and ensures that military aid is used for defense, not civilian killing.

This move by Biden to condition U.S. military assistance, not only for Israel but also for other allies and strategic partners, aims to gather support from center-left Senate Democrats for his proposed $95 billion supplemental aid package.

The package primarily provides military assistance for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia and for Israel during its confrontation with Hamas in Gaza.

On Friday, Democratic senators hailed Biden’s directive as historic, emphasizing its intention to enhance oversight, impose deadlines, and ensure that foreign governments do not misuse U.S. military aid against civilian populations.

Source: Newsroom