Top Democrat says he needs more answers before approving F-15 sale to Israel

The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s top Democrat is holding fire on the Biden administration’s planned sale of F-15 fighter jets and munitions until he receives “assurances” about how the weapons would be used.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told CNN on Tuesday that he is returning to Washington to receive a classified briefing on the weapons package, which the administration has asked top lawmakers to approve.

Meeks, due to his perch on the weapons-approving committee, is one of four lawmakers who hold an effective veto over foreign military sales. Administrations typically seek informal approval from the top two leaders of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees before formally notifying Congress of potential sales.

The proposed sale comes amid increasing pressure on the Biden administration to leverage arms deals in order to prod Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza. That pressure intensified after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen on April 1.

President Joe Biden in February asked the four lawmakers to approve a package that includes 50 new F-15 fighter jets valued at $18 million, 30 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and a number of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits, which turn dumb bombs into precision-guided weapons, POLITICO first reported.

“I want to know what types of weapons and what the weapons would be utilized for,” Meeks said.

Meeks, on CNN, sought to balance support for the return of hostages taken by Hamas in its Oct. 7 assault on civilians in Israel and criticism for Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing”

"I take things very seriously and that's why I've got to go into the SCIF” — a secure facility for classified briefings — “to see for myself what those assurances are,” he said.

Asked whether Meeks would support potential action to block the sale, he did not answer directly.

“I don't want the kinds of weapons that Israel has to be utilized to have more deaths,” he said. “I want to make sure that humanitarian aid gets in. I don't want people starving to death, and I want Hamas to release the hostages. And I want a two-state solution."

A Meeks spokesperson declined to comment on who would brief the top lawmaker and when.

Of the four committee leaders who can hold up sales, both Republicans have said yes: House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Jim Risch (R-Idaho).

Senate Foreign Relations Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) wasn’t asked directly on CNN last week whether he signed off, but he indicated his support in his comments. His office, when asked if he supports the sale, referred to his CNN interview.

Meeks has been a long-time Israel supporter, yet his Queens district is predominantly Black, a group that’s more likely to sympathize with Palestinians and question U.S. support for Israel, according to recent polling.

“He’s in a vise,” New York-based Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said. “He’s got to play a game, and the game is I want to help Israel. The question is how I don’t get caught in the blowback from my own constituencies.”

Aiding Israel could add fuel to existing challenges from the left to his position atop the Democratic Party in Queens — but his seat and House Foreign Affairs role are safe.

“There’s no way he’s going to lose that district. If he has any exposure at all, it’s as the county political boss. Not that he’d lose that, but people could challenge candidates he supports, and that could be very expensive.”