In what could be a preview of a further arms embargo on Israel, security officials told Ynet on Sunday that the delivery of more than 100 D9 armored bulldozers ordered by the Defense Ministry have been stalled.
A partial U.S. arms embargo on Israel has led to 134 D9 bulldozers that Israel has already paid for awaiting U.S. State Department approval to be exported.
These bulldozers are primarily used for flattening structures in the Gaza Strip, which has led to significant criticism in the U.S. Under intense pressure, the Biden administration has frozen deliveries for several months.
According to Ynet, many D9 bulldozers already in Israel require maintenance after months of heavy use in Gaza, and with the ground operation in Southern Lebanon, bulldozers are needed there as well.
The halt to deliveries of the bulldozers will likely delay the completion of a one-kilometer-wide buffer zone between the Gaza Strip and Israel’s western Negev on the Gaza side of the border, Ynet reported. It involves the leveling of hundreds of Palestinian buildings and the clearance of agricultural land.
While many of the buildings have already been razed, more work is necessary. The Americans oppose the actions.
“The fact there are videos of American D9 bulldozers demolishing homes in Gaza isn’t helpful, but it’s a necessity,” IDF sources told Ynet. “These homes are used by terrorists.”
While the delays in the bulldozer shipments are causing concern, the article noted that the Americans approved a dramatic increase in the delivery of JLTVs, or Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.
Dozens have already arrived out of around 300 ordered, with the order expanding to 1,000 vehicles. The armored personnel carriers will replace the older M-113 APCs. They will be outfitted with 30 mm cannons and remotely operated machine guns.
The deal is estimated to be worth NIS 4 billion (approximately $1.1 billion).
