US to sell Israel $647 million worth of bombs and munitions to renew stock after Operation Pillar of Defense

The United States is selling Israel munitions worth $647 million in order to make up for the military inventory Israeli Defense Forces used up during the massive bombings in Gaza during Operation Pillar of Defense last month.

The deal “will include the supply of 6,900 precision bomb kits” as well as “10,000 bombs of various kinds – 3,450 bombs weighing a ton each, 1,725 bombs weighing 250 kilograms each, 1,725 BLU-109 bunker-buster bombs, and 3,450 GBU-39 bunker-buster bombs,” reports Haaretz.

Israel instigated a conflict with Gaza militants last month, blaming retaliatory rocket fire into Israel as having been initiatory, and proceeding to bomb residential areas, killing about 180 people and injuring over 900, mostly civilians (compared with 6 Israelis killed).

Palestinian authorities said that the cost of 120 buildings completely destroyed and 8,000 buildings damaged amounted to $1.2 billion. These are damages that the Washington is partly responsible for, considering all Israeli military operations are enabled by unmatched US economic and military aid. Still, the US thought it more appropriate to rebuild Israel’s military arsenal rather than aid in the rebuilding of a destroyed Gaza.

Throughout the escalating skirmish, US officials continued their one-sided support of Israel. But immediately and dutifully replacing all of the bombs Israel exhausted on the people of Gaza is more a sign of support than any of the rhetoric they offered last month.