Washington, June 19 (RHC)-- The chair of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has agreed to back the sale of $18 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets and other arms to Israel, following intense pressure from the Biden administration. 

New York Congressmember Gregory Meeks had previously held up the weapons sales after objecting to Israel’s attacks on civilians. 

Maryland Democrat and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin has also signed off on the sales.

This comes as a French court has reversed a ruling that would have seen Israeli weapons traders barred from the world’s largest arms expo. 

The Eurosatory exhibition opened in Paris on Monday without the participation of Israeli delegates and intermediaries, after peace activists successfully argued a government ban on Israeli companies operating booths at the event didn’t go far enough. 

On Tuesday, however, a commercial court reversed that decision.