"The stockpile - known as War Reserve Stock for Allies-Israel, or WRSA-I - is "the least transparent mechanism of providing arms to Israel," former State Department official Josh Paul told Responsible Statecraft. Since Oct. 7, Israel has quietly purchased huge numbers of American weapons from WRSA-I, facilitating a wave of airstrikes that many analysts consider the most intense bombing campaign of the 21st century."
"The transfer process is simple. When Israel asks for weapons from WRSA-I, the secretary of defense can approve the request without having to go through typical steps like notifying Congress or even the White House in advance. Then "Israel can just drive in, pull whatever it requires, and drive out," said Paul, who now runs a lobbying firm called A New Policy, adding that payments for the weapons are "worked out or provided in the future.""
A provision in a State Department funding bill would permit unlimited transfers of U.S. weapons to an Israel-based War Reserve Stock for Allies-Israel (WRSA-I) in the next fiscal year. WRSA-I allows a secretary of defense to approve requests without typical notifications to Congress or the White House, enabling rapid transfers with limited oversight. Since Oct. 7, Israel has used WRSA-I to obtain large quantities of American weapons, contributing to an intense airstrike campaign. The bill, crafted by Rep. Brian Mast, would expand a 2024 waiver and remove requirements for State Department reports to Congress on issues like human rights.
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