Rights Group Demands Congress Block $2.8 Billion Bomb Sale to Israel

The proposed arms package includes 20,000 MK-84 general-purpose bombs, 20,000 BLU-117s, and 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads. Experts note that the MK-84 is among the largest conventional weapons in the U.S. arsenal, capable of leveling structures and creating massive craters. DAWN argues that supplying such weaponry violates both the Arms Export Control Act and the Leahy Laws, which restrict military assistance to entities implicated in gross human rights abuses.

DAWN executive director Omar Shakir labeled the shipment a "down payment on the next round of atrocities," pointing to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The group also warned that providing these weapons could trigger legal jeopardy under the Rome Statute, given the International Criminal Court’s active investigations into Israeli leadership for alleged war crimes. While Representative Gregory Meeks and Senator Chris Van Hollen have signaled opposition to the sale, the organization cautioned that the administration may attempt to bypass legislative oversight by invoking emergency executive authorities.