Washington DC – In a letter, 90 members of the U.S. Congress urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to immediately move forward with a foreign funding bill that includes $14 billion in aid for Israel.
The letter, sent on Sunday and made public on Monday, follows last weekend's unprecedented attack by Iran, which responded to a deadly attack on its consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus earlier this month. In retaliation, it fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel.
“Time is of the essence, and we must ensure that critical aid reaches Israel and its other democratic allies as they face threats from adversaries around the world,” the short letter reads. The letter was signed primarily by Democrats, but also included Republicans, including: Joe Wilson, Chairman of the House Middle East Foreign Affairs Subcommittee;
“When we return on Monday, we urge you to move the Senate supplemental aid package to the floor for an immediate vote.”
The Iranian attack showed why our aid to Israel is essential.I am joining @RepJoshG, @RepJoeWilsonand more than 80 colleagues called on Speaker Johnson to bring to the floor the aid package passed by the Senate to provide Israel and other allies with the resources they need to defend themselves. pic.twitter.com/Yl6bHfnVQD
— Rep. Lois Frankel (@RepLoisFrankel) April 15, 2024
Separately, Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, called on his colleagues Monday to pass a $95 billion foreign funding bill that includes aid to both Ukraine and Israel. The Senate passed the bill in February, but Republican Prime Minister Boris Johnson blocked it in the House of Commons under pressure from conservatives in his party. For a bill to become law in the United States, it must be approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the president.
“The extremely serious events in the Middle East and Eastern Europe over the past weekend highlight the need for Congress to act immediately. In a letter to “dear colleagues,” Jeffries characterized the vote as a “Churchill-Chamberlain moment.”
Iran's attack on Israel late Saturday caused only minor damage as most of the projectiles were intercepted, but renewed calls for the House of Representatives to pass a Senate-approved bill calling for the Israeli government to respond to Iranian actions. Calls for conditioning support have all but been drowned out. in the war in the Gaza Strip.
Republicans are trying to separate aid to Ukraine from funding to Israel. Alternatively, many Republicans are also trying to link domestic policy issues to support for Israel.
For example, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives last year passed a $14.5 billion measure aimed at Israel that would cut funding to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. tax agency. The Senate did not adopt this proposal.
Many US lawmakers have condemned Iran's attack on Israel, portraying Israel as the victim of unprovoked aggression.
However, Iran has accused Israel of acting in self-defense after an April 1 air raid on the Iranian consulate in Damascus killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two generals. insisted.
President Joe Biden's administration has refused to condemn the Damascus consulate bombing, but the United States is now calling for de-escalation.
The U.S. government, which helped Israel shoot down hundreds of Iranian-made drones and missiles, hailed the effort to largely thwart the attack as a victory and suggested Israel should not retaliate.
In Congress, members of both major political parties are calling for U.S. aid to Israel to be prioritized.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called on Congress late Saturday to “do its part” to support Israel “without delay” in his first comments on the Iranian attack.
“The national security supplement, which has been awaiting action for months, will provide critical resources to Israel and our forces in the region,” he said in a statement.
But Palestinian rights advocates say the United States needs to enforce its own laws that prohibit military aid and arms transfers to parties that violate international humanitarian law.
More than 33,000 people have been killed in Israeli military attacks in the Gaza Strip. Israel has also imposed a stifling blockade on the territory, and USAID Director Samantha Power said last week that starvation was underway in the enclave.
The White House has rejected calls for conditions on aid to Israel, often reiterating its “ironclad” commitment to the country and urging Congress to approve foreign funding legislation.
“Rather than seek additional military aid to Israel, the Biden administration should immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel and any rogue government that has used American weapons to commit genocide or attack embassies in neighboring countries. ” said Democracy Defense Director Raed Jarrah. for the Arab World Now told Al Jazeera in a statement.
“Not only is sending additional weapons to Israel a violation of international law, but the United States is prohibited from supplying weapons to countries committing genocide or blocking humanitarian aid to starving people. It also violates the law.”
