Biden Orders Swift Cutoff of Military Aid to Violators, Boosts Ukraine Assistance, US

A new presidential directive issued by President Joe Biden is set to attach human rights conditions to US military aid for Israel. The move aims to ease tensions among Democrats over military support for Israel’s war in Gaza, with lawmakers praising the order for its commitment to international protections of civilians. The directive will also help Biden gain support from center-left Senate Democrats for his proposed $95 billion supplemental assistance package, primarily focused on military aid for Ukraine and Israel. Democratic senators have hailed the directive as a historic change in approach, emphasizing the importance of preventing the use of US military aid against civilians. However, human rights advocates raise concerns about the enforcement of these conditions. The directive, officially known as a presidential memorandum, has immediate effect, giving Secretary of State Antony Blinken 45 days to obtain assurances from foreign recipients of US military aid that they are complying with international humanitarian and human rights standards. Notably, succeeding presidents can overturn presidential memorandums. In an unrelated case, a Texas woman was sentenced to three years in prison for threatening a Florida judge who is overseeing Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents. The woman left voicemails threatening to kill the judge, claiming to be a member of several military combat units. This action demonstrates the stance against threats to democratic institutions.