US Pentagon signs $210 million contract with Israeli company Tomer for cluster munitions, a weapon widely criticized for its indiscriminate killing of civilians. The deal marks the largest known arms purchase from Israel by the US Department of Defense and is seen as atypical given the countries' usually one-way relationship.
Cluster munitions are designed to scatter explosive fragments over a wide area, causing long-term danger to civilians who may not even know they have been affected. They were widely criticized for their use in conflicts such as Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and Ukraine, with reports of unexploded ordnance still affecting communities decades later.
The $210 million deal will see Tomer produce a new 155mm munition designed to reduce the risk of civilian casualties but critics argue that no amount of technological advancement can make cluster munitions humane. The US Army has admitted that its own testing of similar munitions found high failure rates, with the manufacturer citing low risks in controlled environments.
"This is not just about killing people; it's about causing long-term damage and suffering to communities," said Alma Taslidžan, advocacy manager for Humanity & Inclusion, an organization pushing to ban cluster munitions. "We need a global ban on these weapons."
The deal has raised concerns about the Trump administration's willingness to bypass conventional procurement procedures in favor of lucrative contracts with foreign arms manufacturers. Critics say that this undermines oversight and accountability mechanisms.
The development comes as the Biden administration faces pressure from lawmakers to rethink its approach to cluster munitions, which were banned under international law but remain in use by many countries, including Israel.
With no clear end in sight to the Russia-Ukraine war, where both sides have used cluster munitions extensively, critics warn that the global ban on these weapons is under threat. The Convention on Cluster Munitions has seen several signatory countries reconsider their commitment to the treaty amid fears of conflict with Russia.
As one expert noted, "The US wants all options" when it comes to warfare, and this latest purchase reflects a continued reliance on cluster munitions – even as researchers argue that these weapons are inherently indiscriminate.
Cluster munitions are designed to scatter explosive fragments over a wide area, causing long-term danger to civilians who may not even know they have been affected. They were widely criticized for their use in conflicts such as Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and Ukraine, with reports of unexploded ordnance still affecting communities decades later.
The $210 million deal will see Tomer produce a new 155mm munition designed to reduce the risk of civilian casualties but critics argue that no amount of technological advancement can make cluster munitions humane. The US Army has admitted that its own testing of similar munitions found high failure rates, with the manufacturer citing low risks in controlled environments.
"This is not just about killing people; it's about causing long-term damage and suffering to communities," said Alma Taslidžan, advocacy manager for Humanity & Inclusion, an organization pushing to ban cluster munitions. "We need a global ban on these weapons."
The deal has raised concerns about the Trump administration's willingness to bypass conventional procurement procedures in favor of lucrative contracts with foreign arms manufacturers. Critics say that this undermines oversight and accountability mechanisms.
The development comes as the Biden administration faces pressure from lawmakers to rethink its approach to cluster munitions, which were banned under international law but remain in use by many countries, including Israel.
With no clear end in sight to the Russia-Ukraine war, where both sides have used cluster munitions extensively, critics warn that the global ban on these weapons is under threat. The Convention on Cluster Munitions has seen several signatory countries reconsider their commitment to the treaty amid fears of conflict with Russia.
As one expert noted, "The US wants all options" when it comes to warfare, and this latest purchase reflects a continued reliance on cluster munitions – even as researchers argue that these weapons are inherently indiscriminate.
to produce cluster munitions. I'm all like, what's going on here? 
Cluster munitions are literally super bad for civilians - they can cause long-term damage and suffering to whole communities. Like, decades after the conflict is even over.
It's not like it's a new tech or anything that's gonna magically make these things humane. I mean, we've seen how they work out in Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and Ukraine already.
And it's not like Israel's exactly known for its transparency when it comes to arms deals either.
I'm really worried about this deal, the $210 million contract with Tomer for cluster munitions is just crazy 
. The fact that US Army testing found high failure rates doesn't change the fact that these weapons are causing long-term damage and suffering to innocent people 
.
. I think this undermines oversight and accountability mechanisms, it's not right to sacrifice transparency for profit 
The Convention on Cluster Munitions is still under threat and if we don't take a strong stance against these weapons, things might get out of hand 
.
... I mean, can't we find a way to avoid causing long-term damage to civilians? Cluster munitions have been around for ages and we still haven't cracked the code on making them more humane. The fact that the US Army has low failure rates in controlled environments doesn't change the fact that these things are designed to kill people in the first place.
also, what about the fact that israel uses these weapons in conflicts and still hasn't signed the convention on cluster munitions? 
it's just not adding up
It's like they're more concerned with lining their pockets than making a real difference.