A group of left-leaning House Democrats are urging their colleagues to oppose a $26 billion aid package for Israel, hoping to maximize the party’s “no” votes and send a warning to President Biden about the depth of discontent among his political allies He supports Israel’s strategy in Gaza.
House progressive leaders see the upcoming vote as a make-or-break moral choice, similar to the vote in Congress to authorize and fund the war in Iraq, and they are working to rally sizable Democratic opposition to the aid measure, which is expected to pass this week. VI will become law in the coming days.
“It took a long, long time after these votes for people to realize, ‘We shouldn’t allow this to continue,'” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Go down’. “I think this is the moment in the debate over Iraq.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called it a “decisive vote,” adding, “Either we participate in this massacre or we don’t.”
There is no doubt that the bill will send roughly $13 billion in military aid Funding for Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza will pass the House, along with funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and other U.S. allies.
But progressive Democrats estimate there could be 40 to 60 party members opposed in the House on Saturday. It would be a dramatic signal from Congress, where staunch bipartisan support for Israel has long been the norm. It would also highlight the worrying divisions the Gaza war has created within Democrats, even as more Democrats, including Biden, have begun criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict and urging him to do a better job. Protect civilians.
The legislation would allocate $5 billion for Israel’s defense capabilities and $9 billion for “global humanitarian assistance,” including aid to civilians in Gaza. But it would not impose further conditions on how Israel uses U.S. military aid, nor would it block future arms transfers from the United States, as a growing number of Democrats seek.
Democrats leading opposition to the Israel aid bill say they strongly support the Jewish state and its right to self-defense and will vote for military aid that supports Israel’s defense capabilities, such as replenishing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. They also condemned the terrorist attack launched by Hamas on October 7, which triggered the war, and said the hostages held by Hamas must be released.
But they argue that unconditional approval of more offensive weapons is an untenable moral and political position that amounts to endorsing Mr. Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war, including his invasion of Latin America over the objections of the Biden administration. the intention of the law. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict, and the people are facing a hunger crisis.
“I understand Israel’s need for defensive weapons, especially in light of the Iranian attacks,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who launched his first campaign on an anti-war platform activities and helped lead efforts to end U.S. involvement in the war. in Yemen. “But there is no reason to provide Netanyahu with bombs and weapons to continue the war in Gaza that is killing thousands of innocent Palestinian women and children.”
Saturday’s vote will recall a similar situation in 2007, when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Split a piece of spending legislation Allow Democrats to express opposition to funding the Iraq war while supporting domestic funding bills. Louisiana Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, Divide equally A foreign aid package will be considered on Saturday to get every element across the finish line different resistance alliances different parts of the bill.
exist Key test vote on FridayThe House approved the package 316-94, with 39 Democrats, most of them progressives, joining 55 Republicans in opposition.
Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., said: “Now is the time for members of Congress who support a safe and secure Israel to send a message that providing Netanyahu with more offensive weapons is not Israel’s fault. path to peace and security for Palestinians and Palestinians,” the Jewish MP said in an interview, calling for a ceasefire. “I believe that providing Netanyahu with more offensive weapons at this stage is condoning the destruction of Gaza that we have seen over the past six months. It also gives the green light to invade Rafah.”
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat who led opposition to funding the Iraq war in 2007, said the conversations among congressional Democrats opposing continued U.S. support for the war in Gaza are “nothing like the conversations that took place 17 years ago.” What’s the difference?”
“We will probably vote on whether there will be a wider war and whether American weapons will kill thousands of innocent people,” Mr Doggett said.
Democrats who oppose the Israeli aid package form a minority in their caucus. But they viewed the “no” vote as part of a strategy to pressure Biden to set conditions on the aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers. Through multiple meetings, text message chains and conversations with the administration, they have worked to change the president’s attitude toward Israel while highlighting the electoral risks Biden faces among voters who helped propel him to the White House in 2020 and now view his approach Feel angry. The handling of war.
“The only way to correct course is for a significant number of people in the Democratic caucus to say something has to change,” Ms. Balint said.
Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., who has urged Biden not to provide offensive weapons to Israel, said a vote against it would strengthen the president’s authority to do so.
“It helps the administration to have some Democrats express themselves in this way,” he said.
Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, said he expected a large number of Democrats to oppose the bill, which would give the Biden administration greater leverage to influence the Israeli government’s war stance.
“I hope this vote will show the world that there is a significant segment of the population in the United States that does not want to see the war expand and expand,” he said.
