The presidential memorandum issued by Biden imposes conditions on all countries that receive US military aid (Reuters)
US President Joe Biden issued a presidential memorandum requiring foreign governments that receive weapons from Washington to provide written guarantees of compliance with international and American law.
The presidential memorandum requested the Secretaries of State and Defense to submit periodic reports to Congress to obtain meaningful oversight of the weapons that America supplies to foreign governments.
The presidential memorandum also says that the Secretaries of State and Defense are responsible for ensuring that all US weapons are used in a manner consistent with all international laws, including international humanitarian law and human rights law.
The Secretaries of State and Defense are also responsible for ensuring that all US weapons are used in a manner consistent with US law and policy.
The presidential memorandum also stated that countries that do not adhere to the guarantees could have the export of American weapons stopped.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs or Defense must also inform the President within 45 days of countries that do not adhere to the guarantees, and provide appropriate steps to evaluate the situation.
Senator Elizabeth Warren said that the presidential memorandum issued by Biden imposes conditions on aid to Israel and all countries that receive American military aid.
Warren added that she worked with the White House and her colleagues to improve the status of civilian protection and hold the Israeli government responsible for complying with international law.
This comes at a time when Israel is waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving tens of thousands of civilian victims, most of them children and women, in addition to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe and massive destruction of infrastructure, which led to Tel Aviv appearing before the International Court of Justice to be tried on charges of “genocide.” For the first time in its history.
In a surprise speech at the White House on Wednesday evening, Biden said that the behavior of the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip exceeded the limit, in unprecedented statements criticizing Israeli behavior. Biden added that he is working to reach a sustainable cessation of fighting.
Source: Al Jazeera