As the attack on Gaza continues, a Chicago Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization is asking for a refund for the weapons that the United States is sending over to Israel.
On Tuesday, BLM Chicago quote replied on the social media platform X “We want our money back!!!”
The original post was from a Veterans Against the War account depicting alleged “pictures of the American-made shells in Gaza,” explicitly calling out, “Paid for with US tax dollars.”
According to Newsweek, after the attack began, President Joe Biden “pledged to send the country a trove of military equipment and weapons, including U.S.-made Tamir interceptor missiles, a key component of Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.”
An internal list from the Department of Defense confirms that the Pentagon has been discreetly ramping up efforts to aid Israel, “delivering on requests that include more laser-guided missiles for its Apache gunship fleet, as well as 155mm shells, night-vision devices, bunker-buster munitions and new army vehicles,” Bloomberg reports.
The news outlet also reports that this pipeline of weapons extends far beyond what is being broadcasted to the public, such as the “Iron Drome interceptors and Boeing Co. smart bombs.”
The total cost of this military aid to Israel is looking upwards of $14 billion. Axios writes that since the attacks began, President Biden has asked for “at least $14.3 billion in additional assistance.” This is on top of the almost $5 billion already allotted.
Of note, “Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. foreign military financing, which has represented around 15% of the country’s defense budget in recent years.”
In addition, on top of funding, the U.S. also sends over weapons to Israel. The majority of imported weapons to Israel from 1950 to 2020 have come from the U.S.
Moreover, the United States also provides Israel “access to the most advanced military equipment in the world, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.”