US underlines to Israel it must stick to international law on weapons

WASHINGTON - The United States has briefed Israel on a new US national security memorandum that reminds countries receiving US weapons to stick to international law, the White House said on Feb 9.

The memo is a statement of administration policy and was sent on Feb 8 from the White House to senior Cabinet officials responsible for national security to ensure its aims are carried out.

The memo does not impose new conditions on how US military equipment may be used, but it does require the Biden administration to send a report to Congress annually on whether countries are meeting the requirements.

Since Oct 7, an Israeli military campaign against Hamas has killed nearly 28,000 people in Gaza.

The offensive was in response to a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, which killed around 1,200 people.

Washington gives US$3.8 billion (S$5.12 billion) in annual military assistance to Israel, its longtime ally. Leftist Democrats and Arab American groups have criticised the Biden administration's steadfast support of Israel, which they say provides it with a sense of impunity.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in response to a question that US officials had briefed Israelis on the memorandum.

"They reiterated their willingness to provide these types of assurances," she said.

Other nations that use US weaponry were also notified, said a US official, declining to name them.

Ms Jean-Pierre said the memorandum emerged from discussions with lawmakers.

"There are no new standards in this memo. We are not imposing new standards for military aid," she said. "Instead we are spelling publicly the existing standards by the international law including the law of armed conflict."

One section of the memorandum reminds recipients of US military aid to "respect their obligations under international law and reduce the risk of civilian harm".

The Israel-Hamas war falls under a complex international system of justice that has emerged since World War II, much of it aimed at protecting civilians. Even if states say they are acting in self-defence, international rules regarding armed conflict apply to all participants in a war.

US President Joe Biden has been dogged by criticism at home by Arab American groups who say he should be calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza war.

Several Biden administration officials met on Feb 8 in Dearborn, Michigan, with Arab American leaders who have been vocal in their criticism of Mr Biden.

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