White House Cancels Policy Linking Arms Sales to Human Rights
The White House has revoked a policy order that linked arms sales to compliance with international human rights law, Al Jazeera reports.
The decision, first reported by The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, reverses a measure implemented by former President Joe Biden.
National Security Memorandum-20, signed by Biden in February 2024, required assurances that US weapons would not be used in violation of international humanitarian law. The policy was seen as a response to concerns surrounding potential human rights violations in conflict zones.
According to reports, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz formalized the decision to rescind the memorandum. All references to the memorandum have been removed from the White House website.
A May 2024 report, mandated by the memorandum, concluded that while potential violations of international humanitarian law by Israel may have occurred, the Biden administration could not verify specific instances of civilian harm due to the ongoing nature of the conflict.
The revocation follows previous actions by the Trump administration, including the unfreezing of heavy weapon shipments to Israel and the lifting of sanctions on Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
On February 7, the Trump administration approved the sale of over $7.4 billion worth of bombs, missiles, and related military equipment to Israel.
