Source Credit: AL JAZEERA
On February 25, 2025, the United States revoked a key policy that linked arms sales to international humanitarian law, a decision made by President Donald Trump. The original policy, implemented during President Joe Biden's time in office, required assurances that US weapons would not be used to violate international law, particularly concerning the Gaza conflict. The National Security Memorandum-20, signed by Biden in February 2024, aimed to address concerns over Israel’s actions during its military operations in Gaza, which critics have argued could involve human rights violations.
However, sources from The Washington Post confirmed that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz had formalized Trump’s decision to scrap the policy. This move effectively removes one of the few remaining initiatives from Biden’s administration related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. The policy had been a response to serious concerns about Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which had resulted in significant civilian harm. In May 2024, a report, mandated by the memorandum, implied Israel’s potential violations of international law, but the Biden administration could not verify specific cases due to the ongoing nature of the war.
President Trump’s reversal aligns with other pro-Israel policy shifts, including lifting sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank and authorizing the sale of more than $7.4 billion in military equipment to Israel in early February 2025. Critics, such as Senator Chris Van Hollen, condemned Trump’s decision as “shameful” and a setback for global human rights. He argued it undermines the US’s moral standing and national security, saying it tarnishes American values. On the other hand, Republican Senator Jim Risch welcomed the policy change, claiming that the original order was politically motivated and hindered US-Israel relations. Risch further criticized the policy as weak against rivals like Russia and China. This reversal effectively dismantles the last remaining aspects of Biden’s policies related to the conflict, leaving only a trail of controversy and divergent opinions as the US stands divided on how to navigate its foreign policy in the Middle East. for 26 seconds
On February 25, 2025, the White House revoked a key policy order linking US arms sales to international humanitarian law, a move ordered by President Donald Trump amid rising concerns over Israel’s actions during its ongoing war on Gaza. The policy—National Security Memorandum-20—was originally signed by President Joe Biden in February 2024 to ensure that US weapons would not be used in ways that violate human rights, especially during a period when reports of potential abuses in Gaza were mounting.
According to unnamed sources quoted by The Washington Post, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz formalized the decision to scrap the memorandum, and all references to it have since been removed from the White House website, now returning a 404 error. This decision follows earlier steps by the Trump administration, including unfreezing heavy weapon shipments to Israel and lifting sanctions on settlers in the occupied West Bank, with the sale of over $7.4 billion in bombs, missiles, and military equipment to Israel having been approved on February 7. A May 2024 report, mandated by the memorandum, noted that while there might have been violations of international humanitarian law by Israel, the ongoing Gaza conflict—responsible for at least 48,346 deaths and over 111,759 injuries—prevented the verification of specific cases of civilian harm. The move has drawn strong reactions: Senator Chris Van Hollen condemned it as “shameful” and a blow to global human rights and US national security, arguing that it undermines taxpayers’ ability to ensure that US funds align with American values, while Republican Senator Jim Risch welcomed the reversal, criticizing the original policy as a politically motivated maneuver designed to embarrass Israel in its time of need and to benefit rivals such as Russia and China.
