An American-Muslim advocacy group condemned President Biden’s move to bypass Congress to sell thousands of tank shells to Israel, saying the administration’s decision was “an affront to democracy and an act of moral insanity.” 

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, decried the Biden administration’s decision, claiming that the move would embolden Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “kill more Palestinian civilians.” 

“Rushing deadly weapons to the far-right and openly genocidal Israeli government without congressional review robs American voters of their voice in Congress, emboldens Netanyahu to kill more Palestinian civilians and further stains our nation’s standing in the world,” Mr. Mitchell said. 

He continued, “The timing is also remarkable, as media outlets just confirmed that Israeli tanks deliberately targeted and slaughtered journalists in Lebanon. The Biden administration’s decision is an affront to democracy and an act of moral insanity.” 

The organization’s condemnation of the sale comes as the White House ripped comments from the CAIR’s National Executive Director Nihad Awad that seemingly approved of the terrorist organization Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. 

The Biden administration used emergency authority from the Arms Export Control Act to approve the sale of over 14,000 tank shells to be delivered immediately to Israel — a sale worth about $106 million. 

The State Department said that it had notified Congress of the move Friday after Secretary of State Antony Blinken deemed “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the munitions. 

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” the department said. “Israel will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.”

The sale comes as Congress has struggled to find middle ground on a $106 billion emergency package proposed by Mr. Biden that includes $14.3 billion for Israel. 

Republicans in the House and Senate have argued that the package, which includes funding for Biden administration goals at the U.S.-Mexico border, needs to have border security policy attached to pass either chamber. 

House lawmakers previously passed a $14.3 billion standalone Israel aid bill, but it is all but dead as the Senate continues negotiations on the complete package. 

It also follows the failure of a United Nations Security Council cease-fire resolution to put a stop to fighting in the Israel-Hamas war over humanitarian concerns. The U.S. vetoed the resolution, marking itself as the lone vote against the U.N.’s cease-fire push.

• This article was based in part on wire service reports.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.