Council on American-Islamic Relations condemns F-15 sale to Israel.
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, vice president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement published on the organization’s website on Tuesday night: “At a time when human rights organizations around the world condemn Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, the Pentagon’s decision to transfer billions of dollars in American taxpayer money and advanced weapons to the Israeli army is morally indefensible.”
He added that the sale of these fighter jets to Israel shows that American military contractors and foreign governments can profit financially, despite human rights violations.
Mitchell stressed that the Pentagon’s new decision is “reward for genocide paid for with American taxpayer money.”
He called on the US government to stop arms transfers to Israel and to be accountable for the weapons that have already been transferred.
The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced on Monday that it has approved a contract worth $8.6 billion to sell Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Israel.
The Pentagon said the contract includes the design, integration, instrumentation, testing, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft to the Israeli Air Force, with an option to purchase 25 more F-15IA aircraft.
The Pentagon added that the delivery of the fighters to Israel is expected to be completed by December 31, 2035.
The United States has long been the largest arms supplier to Israel, its closest ally in the Middle East.
Pro-Palestinian and anti-war protesters across the United States have called for an end to Washington’s military support for Israel over its genocide in Gaza, but those demands have fallen on deaf ears under the administrations of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden.