According to Reuters, the White House will provide $95 million to Lebanon on the grounds of regional security while paying attention to human rights issues in Egypt.

The United States plans to transfer $95 million in military aid originally allocated to Egypt to Lebanon, according to an unconfirmed news agency report.

The U.S. State Department informed Congress of the change in plans, which listed the Lebanese Armed Forces as a “key partner” in upholding the Nov. 27, 2024 agreement, Reuters reported on Monday. Israel-Lebanon Agreement Cease hostilities and prevent Hezbollah from threatening Israel.

It comes after some of President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats expressed deep concern about Egypt’s human rights record, particularly the arrest of thousands of political prisoners.

The contents of the document have not been confirmed. Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Egyptian Embassy in Washington immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

In September, the U.S. State Department’s digital publication “State” stated that the Biden administration would provide Cairo with a full $1.3 billion grant regardless of human rights conditions when providing military assistance to Egypt. The total includes $95 million earmarked for progress in releasing political prisoners.

The notice did not specify exactly what the $95 million in funds were, but a congressional aide said he did not believe the amount was a coincidence, according to the report.

Egypt has been a key partner in the Biden administration’s push to deliver more aid to Gaza and has helped mediate so far unsuccessful efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The decision in September to provide the funds to Egypt prompted pushback within Congress, including from Democratic Senators Chris Murphy and Chris Coons, both ranking members of the Foreign Relations Committee, who issued a A joint statement condemned the decision.

According to State Department documents, the funds will be used to professionalize the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), strengthen border security, combat terrorism and address security needs affected by the transfer of power in Syria.

“The United States remains Lebanon’s chosen security partner, and U.S. support of the Lebanese Armed Forces directly helps ensure the security of Lebanon and the broader Levant region,” the notice said.

support lebanese army It could also help ensure that Syria’s transition is not disrupted by Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia group that previously played a major role in supporting Assad during the Syrian civil war.

Under U.S. law, Congress has 15 days to object to reallocating military aid, but a congressional aide familiar with the process commented that he expected lawmakers to welcome the administration’s transfer of funds to Lebanon.

“It’s a way of saying, ‘Egypt doesn’t really deserve or need this funding, let’s reframe it and put it in a better place,'” the aide told Reuters.