Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Assists in Shipping Weapons and Ammunition to Israel
TALLAHASSEE — The consul general of Israel in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, clarified Gov. Ron DeSantis’ involvement in facilitating the transfer of weapons and ammunition to Israel during the war with Hamas. According to Elbaz-Starinsky, he reached out to the governor’s office for final approval of a private shipment of weapons parts. The shipment was initially set to be sent on a commercial El Al flight in the first week of the war, but required bureaucratic clearance.
Elbaz-Starinsky stated in an interview, “They asked me to help. I approached a few contacts, including the governor’s office, to get the final approval.”
Earlier, DeSantis’ office and presidential campaign confirmed that the governor had assisted in shipping weapons and drones to Israel. However, they did not provide specific details. When asked for clarification, DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern declined to disclose the private parties involved or the federal hurdles that had to be cleared.
Despite the lack of clarity from the governor’s office, Elbaz-Starinsky confirmed that all necessary approvals were obtained, except for the final approval from the Transportation Security Administration. He mentioned that this level of involvement in such matters is unusual for him, but due to the urgency and panic of the war’s early days, he was compelled to seek assistance.
John Kirby, a national security spokesman at the White House, stated that he was unaware of any coordination on the shipments between Florida and the Biden administration. He added that it is not illegal for a state governor to offer foreign assistance, but there are laws and regulations that govern the export process. He could not provide information on whether DeSantis had followed these processes.
Florida Democrats criticized DeSantis’ involvement in shipping weapons and ammunition, stating that it violated norms and potentially federal laws. The state’s role in the shipment, as well as the cost and vendors involved in rescue flights for U.S. citizens in Israel, have been the subject of secrecy from the DeSantis administration.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management disclosed that the rescue flights are expected to cost approximately $32 million and involve three private organizations. Budgeting documents have not been released due to the ongoing nature of the missions.
Details about the logistical and financial arrangements of the operations remain unclear, but history has shown the DeSantis administration’s tendency to be secretive about large-scale operations.
In addition to the private vendors, the state partnered with Project Dynamo, a nonprofit organization that specializes in bringing U.S. citizens home from conflict zones. Project Dynamo received a $1 million donation from the Volunteer Florida Foundation, which is funded by the state and federal government.
