Republicans and Democrats unite to invalidate Biden's restriction on shipping bombs to Israel
Revised Article:
A group of sixteen Democratic lawmakers, along with their GOP counterparts, pushed through a contentious bill in the House of Representatives. This bill aims to hasten the delivery of approved military aid to Israel, even after the White House expressed concerns about Israel's assault on Rafah.
The vote, considered mainly symbolic, concluded with a close margin of 224-187. However, the bill faces an uphill battle as it needs Senate approval and, given the Democrats' current control, its odds of becoming law appear slim.
The Biden administration has declared that it will veto this bill, arguing it undermines the president's foreign policy.
This move was particularly noteworthy as it represented a defiance of Biden's decision to momentarily halt a delivery of explosives weighing 2,000 and 500 pounds to Israel.
Some prominent democratic supporters of Israel, such as Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz, Josh Gottheimer, and Ritchie Torres, chose to deviate from their party's stance in supporting this bill.
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Republican Senator Tom Cotton has introduced a similar bill in the Senate, but the agreement of the Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer to put the bill on the floor for a vote remains uncertain. Senior Democrats in the House have also expressed strong opposition to this bill.
A communication shared by Democratic Congresswoman Katherine Clark expressed Biden's assurance of unwavering support for Israel. However, the Republican legislation was viewed as an "unprecedented limitation" of the president's executive authority and foreign policy implementation.
Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza has generated internal discord within the Democratic Party, with progressives criticizing Biden's backing of Israel. The strains are already manifesting in Democratic primary races.
This week, pro-Palestinian Congressman Jamaal Bowman accused his primary rival of being under the influence of Aipac, a pro-Israel lobbying group. Bowman, much like other progressives, has termed Israel's actions in Gaza as a "genocide."
** Further Reading:**
The primary focus of Israel's military actions has shifted towards Rafah, the southern Gaza border town, home to approximately 1.5 million Palestinians.
Biden had warned last week that he would delay the delivery of offensive bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they initiated a full-scale assault on Rafah.
Biden's decision to adhere to this public threat is under close scrutiny by U.S. voters, both supporters and critics of Israel. The situation regarding a "full-scale invasion" is ambiguous, as Israel has intensified bombardments in Rafah and has taken control of the crossing with Egypt.
Despite the threat and ongoing freeze, the majority of arms transfers to Israel continue unabated.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration intends to furnish an additional $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel.
- The ongoing conflict in Gaza, particularly the focus on Rafah, has sparked internal disagreements within the Democratic Party, with progressives critiquing President Biden's support of Israel.
- Amidst these tensions, some Democratic lawmakers, including Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz, Josh Gottheimer, and Ritchie Torres, have defied their party's stance by supporting a bill aimed at expediting military aid to Israel.
- This bill, however, faces challenges on its path to becoming law, as the Biden administration has declared its intention to veto it due to concerns about undermining the president's foreign policy.
- The news about Israel's military actions in Rafah and the potential for a full-scale invasion is under close scrutiny by American voters, with many questioning Biden's decision to delay the delivery of offensive weapons to Israel.
- Despite the temporary halt in arms deliveries, reports suggest that the Biden administration plans to provide an additional $1 billion in arms and ammunition to Israel, a move that continues to fuel debates around politics, policy-and-legislation, war-and-conflicts, and general-news.
