Certain high-ranking US officials have expressed doubts regarding Israel’s certifications for the use of US-provided weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law. An internal Pentagon report, cited by Reuters, reveals that these officials do not consider Israel’s certifications as “sufficient.” However, there are also other officials who support Israel’s presentation.

As per a National Security Memorandum (NSM) published by President Joe Biden in February, Secretary of State Blinken is expected to notify Congress by May 8th about his opinion on whether Israel’s certifications meet the requirements and if the use of American weapons violates US or international law, as reported by Reuters.

Israel’s mission has garnered support from certain officials who believe their certifications are valid. However, the leaked report indicates that these certifications are deemed “not credible.” Confidential sections of the memorandum are included in the report.

The leaked report also outlines instances of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in the Palestinian territories, with a focus on Israel’s potential actions that may undermine international humanitarian law in Gaza.

According to the State Department, there were differing opinions among officials regarding the acceptance of Israel’s certifications. Some officials opposed accepting them, while others did not take a definitive stance.

An additional leaked document, from a separate official, underscores the relationship between US military aid and the transfer of weapons to Israel. It cautions that any suspension of US weapons imports would hinder Israel’s ability to respond to both conventional and non-conventional threats in its vicinity and recover from conflicts around Washington.

The leaks also suggest that a suspension of weapons sales by the US would impose restrictions on Iran and its proxies.