Congress has placed a hold on a $1 billion arms sale package for Israel that was readied alongside President Trump welcoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington on Tuesday.
Two congressional aides told The Hill on Tuesday that a hold has been placed on the arms sale package. The Wall Street Journal first reported the hold, saying Democratic lawmakers had exercised a hold.
The four top lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have the power to individually block arms sales orders when over a certain dollar amount.
Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to visit Trump since he returned to the White House, generally a recognition of the importance of the relationship. A hold on arms sales to Israel signals a major flouting of convention, where U.S. military support for Israel is viewed as an investment in American national security.
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