President Joe Biden’s decision to halt a bomb shipment to Israel, as well as his warning that the United States will not give weapons that could be used in an attack on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million civilians have taken refuge, has sparked outrage on Capitol Hill.
The House is to vote this week on a Republican-led bill that would require the Biden administration to continue transferring certain weapons to Israel while condemning Biden’s decision to withhold some American-made heavy bombs from Israel.
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The Israel Security Assistance Support Act mandates the “expeditious delivery” of defense goods and services to Israel and prohibits the payment of certain administration officials, including the secretary of defense and secretary of state, until these items arrive.
The bill also recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense and urges the Biden administration to enable any previously approved weaponry exports to Israel to “proceed quickly.”
Republican Representatives Ken Calvert of California, Tom Cole, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, and David Joyce of Ohio introduced the legislation.
“Unlike the Administration, House Appropriators will not waver in our ironclad support for Israel,” the co-sponsors stated in a statement. “The House and Senate acted on the will of the people, overwhelmingly providing Israel with the firepower to send a message: the U.S. and our allies will not cower to terrorist organizations like Hamas.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also criticized the administration, stating that it is “not President Biden’s job to dictate to Israel how they should go about defending their right to exist and deterring violence against their people.”
“House Republicans stand unequivocally with Israel in its war against terrorists and those that threaten its freedom,” added Scalise.
On Wednesday or Thursday, the chamber will vote on the bill.
While it is sure to receive majority support from Republicans, the bill will require a difficult vote for Democrats, highlighting the party’s rift with Israel.
The legislation could gain Democratic backing, particularly from the 26 legislators who wrote to the White House last week to express their concerns about Biden’s decision to cease shipping bombs to Israel due to fears of civilian casualties in the event of a large-scale invasion of Rafah.
However, some Democrats have already expressed resistance to the legislation.
New York Rep. Dan Goldman, a pro-Israel Jewish Democrat, termed it a “misleading” proposal proposed by Republicans who he claimed were looking to score election-year political points.
Goldman stated that the “Republicans’ latest messaging bill does nothing to materially help Israel’s security, fundamentally mischaracterizes the President’s statements and steadfast support for Israel since October 7, and simply requires commitments that the Administration has repeatedly made.”
“As an American Jew, I am offended by the politicization and partisan manipulation of these very serious issues,” Goldman stated.
The White House issued a statement on Tuesday saying it “strongly opposes” what it called an “unnecessary and unwise” bill and that Biden would veto it.
Last week, the White House stepped up its rhetoric against Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah. Besides Biden’s stern warning, the White House withheld 3,500 bombs from Israel, fearing their potential use in a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah.
Republicans were outraged by the move, which they saw as a betrayal of a long-standing US friend during the war. Speaker Mike Johnson referred to it as a “senior moment” for Biden and expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of prior notification to Congress.
Sen. Lindsey Graham led a group of Republican members in presenting a resolution denouncing the Biden administration’s moves to withhold or restrict ammunition to Israel. Their resolution, however, is unlikely to pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
“I believe Israel is fighting for its survival, and the fact that Hamas has command centers under hospitals is the reason so many Palestinians have died.” Don’t reward their behavior,” Graham stated at a press conference last week.
On Monday, the White House attempted to soften the rhetoric surrounding the Israel-Hamas crisis. In lengthy remarks at the daily press briefing, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he wanted to get back to the “basics” of the war, including Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas’ threat, as well as their duty to protect civilians and the need to secure a cease-fire deal in exchange for the release of hostages.
Previous presidents, including Republicans, withheld money to send a clear message to Israel and its friends.
Regarding weapons supplies, Sullivan stated that the administration “continues to send military assistance and will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental.” We have temporarily stopped the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs in highly populated areas. “We are speaking with the Israeli authorities about this.”
“The president made it plain that he would not give specific offensive weaponry if such an operation occurred. “It has not yet happened,” Sullivan remarked. “And we are still working with Israel on a better way to ensure the defeat of Hamas everywhere in Gaza, including in Rafah.”
Sullivan also stated that Biden’s “commitment to Israel is ironclad.”
“Ironclad does not imply that you never disagree; rather, it implies that you work through disputes in the way that only true friends can. That is exactly what we have done for the past seven months and will continue to do.”
