On October 7, 2023, the information that the US has approved USD 8 billion in aid to Israel was published on the Facebook page of the pro-Kremlin Media Sezoni TV, as well as on the page of the pro-Kremlin Alt-News and Telekompania Akhali. In addition, “Sezoni TV” asserts that in the special session devoted to the planning of the US defense budget, the Senate decided with 83% of the votes to redirect Ukraine’s aid – thirty Abrams tanks, ten F-16 fighter jets, and eight billion USD to Israel. According to the media outlet, the decision was signed by the President of the US, Joe Biden.
The mentioned information was shared in 7 Georgian-language Facebook groups (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
Information about the allocation of USD 8 billion to Israel was also disseminated in Russian-language Facebook accounts and groups (1,2,3).
The claim about the US’s aid to Israel is false. The US Senate did not make a decision on redirecting the aid allocated to Ukraine to Israel, nor did it make a statement on allocating 8 billion USD for Israel; However, the US sent defense aid to Israel and took steps in support of the country.
US’s Aid to Israel
The information that the US Senate voted to divert any aid to Ukraine, including tanks, fighter jets, and USD 8 billion to Israel, is false. The disseminated information is not confirmed by reliable open sources and Western media. In addition, notice of the decision was not published on the official pages of the Senate, the US Department of Defense, and the State Department. President Joe Biden’s statement regarding the allocation of USD 8 billion is not found on the official website of the White House. In addition, Newsweek has also verified the false information on this issue.
In the screenshot that the media outlets have been circulating to prove the allocation of USD 8 billion in aid to Israel, we can see the official website of the White House. According to the screenshot, the October 7th announcement can be found by going from the Briefing Room section to Presidential Action; however, in fact, Joe Biden’s most recent announcements are dated October 6th and 8th.
| Fabricated Screenshot | Screenshot from the website of the White House |
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2 statements made by Joe Biden regarding Israel were published on the website of the White House on October 7 (1, 2). In the statements, Biden condemns the terrorist attack on Israel, says that he will be in close contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that Israel will get whatever it needs.
The official website of the Department of Defense published the statement of the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on October 8, according to which the US has taken steps to support Israel, and the country will receive aid in the coming days. According to the statement, Austin discussed strengthening the positions of the Department of Defense in the region with President Joe Biden. According to the US decision, the Navy’s aircraft carrier (USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group) will move to the eastern Mediterranean. It includes the Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy, Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile warships, ships – USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt. In addition, the US has taken steps to strengthen its F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter squadrons in the region.
Regarding aid, the US Secretary of Defense notes in a statement that additional equipment and resources, including ammunition, will be quickly provided to the Israel Defense Forces. The statement did not specify what type of equipment and ammunition Israel would receive from the US in the coming days, but Austin said he would be in close contact with his counterparts to ensure they have everything they need “to defend against a horrific terrorist attack.” The Secretary of Defense of the US did not specify the details of the aid in the statement; however, CNN, based on its own sources, writes that Israel requested guided bombs and anti-missiles necessary for the Iron Dome.
US’s Aid to Ukraine
Despite the recent failure to reach an agreement, according to Western media, the US will announce this week that it will allocate additional aid to Ukraine. According to Reuters, the bailout was made possible by the discovery of several billion dollars in accounting errors.
In June, it became known that due to an accounting error, the amount of funding for ammunition, missiles, and equipment sent to Ukraine was overstated by USD 6.2 billion.
According to the media, Joe Biden’s administration will send weapons and ammunition to Kyiv with the mentioned amount, despite the fact that the so-called plan approved on September 30 to prevent the so-called shutdown did not include funds to support Ukraine.
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