US Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, March 3, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

A senior House Democrat has placed a hold on a proposed $2.8 billion US arms sale to Israel, setting up a new congressional dispute over Washington’s military support for its longtime Middle Eastern ally as Israel faces threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and other regional actors.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Wednesday that he would not provide informal approval for the proposed transfer of 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, citing concerns about how the weapons could be used in densely populated areas.

“The Trump administration has not provided sufficient assurances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with US law and with appropriate protections for civilians,” Meeks said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I therefore will not clear this sale at this time.”

However, Meeks said that he remains committed to Israel’s security and its ability to defend itself against regional threats.

“This decision does not diminish congressional support for Israel’s legitimate defense needs,” Meeks continued. “It reflects Congress’s responsibility to ensure that US-funded weapons are used lawfully, responsibly, and with meaningful safeguards for human life.”

The proposed package, announced by the Trump administration, would include 20,000 MK-84 bombs, 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, and 20,000 I-2000 penetrator warheads. The weapons would be provided through the US Foreign Military Financing program.

The State Department informed relevant congressional committees on Wednesday of the impending deal. The Trump administration has not yet finalized the deal, according to reports.

“The United States reserves the right to protect its national and international interests. Our commitment to Israel is ironclad,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Israel has the right to defend itself, and the United States supports Israel taking necessary action to defend its country, consistent with international law.”

The weapons are part of a broader military requirement created by years of conflict with heavily armed terrorist organizations and regional adversaries. Israeli forces have fought Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon while also confronting Iran and Iranian-backed groups across the region.

Proponents of Israel have argued that heavy bombs such as those included in the proposed sale can be used against fortified positions, underground facilities, and other hardened military targets. Military analysts have previously noted that Israel’s adversaries have made extensive use of tunnels and underground infrastructure, creating requirements for weapons capable of reaching such targets.

The Trump administration has continued to place military support for Israel at the center of its Middle East policy. The administration has cleared or expedited more than $12 billion in arms sales to Israel since US President Donald Trump returned to office, including a nearly $3 billion package expedited in 2025 and another $6.67 billion package announced in January.

Meeks’ intervention nevertheless demonstrates that congressional scrutiny of Israeli arms transfers remains significant, particularly among Democrats.

The New York congressman has long been regarded as supportive of Israel, and he stressed that his objection concerns the proposed use and oversight of the weapons rather than Israel’s right to defend itself. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Meeks has previously taken similar steps involving Israeli arms transfers while maintaining support for Israel’s security.

The hold also does not necessarily mean the weapons will not reach Israel. Under the informal congressional “tiered review” process, senior lawmakers can delay or withhold their approval before an arms package is formally notified to Congress. But a single lawmaker does not possess an absolute veto over the transaction.

The administration has previously used emergency national-security authorities to bypass portions of the congressional review process for Israeli weapons transfers. Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked those authorities in 2025 to expedite nearly $3 billion in weapons.

In the nearly three years following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Democratic Party has become substantially more critical of the Jewish state. Democratic voters, citing the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, have pressed their party to adopt a more adversarial posture against Israel.

According to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll from July, 56 percent of Democrats say they sympathize more with Palestinians, while just 14 percent say they sympathize more with Israelis. Among Republicans, by contrast, 71 percent say they are more sympathetic to Israel, compared with just 7 percent who identify more closely with the Palestinians.