Concern expressed by Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that certain U.S.-supplied arms sent to Israel could kill Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and Judea and Samaria, prompted pushback from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
Kaine released a statement last week about his intent to stop five out of 100 weapon transfers to Israel.
“Since February, I have called on the Biden administration to support Israel through the provision of defensive weapons, such as those used to defeat the Iranian drone and missile attacks in April,” Kaine explained. “But I have also urged a pause in the transfer of any offensive weapons because of the serious harm they will likely cause to Palestinian civilians in Gaza and in the West Bank.”
Kaine said he believed that “the U.S. transferring more offensive weapons into the region right now will be an accelerant to ongoing hostilities, jeopardizing the prospects for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.” He said he would “vote to oppose transfers of weapons that are primarily offensive in nature.”
On Monday, Ron Halber, CEO of the JCRC, and Vicki Fishman, the group’s director of Virginia government and community relations, released a statement responding to Kaine’s plan. As governor and senator, he has been “an ally of Israel and the Jewish community in Virginia,” the JCRC officials wrote. “We are therefore disappointed that he would imperil Israel’s security by limiting its military capabilities when it faces unprovoked attacks on multiple fronts.”
Halber and Fishman called for Kaine to “rescind his support for misguided resolutions that would weaken Israel and strengthen its terrorist enemies, who also are America’s enemies.” They warned that should the senator’s plan move forward “Israel’s enemies would be further emboldened to strike Israel with impunity.”
