US HOUSE BACKS BILL TO PROVIDE $1B FOR ISRAEL IRON DOME SYSTEM

Fri 24 September 2021:

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives passed legislation allocating around $1 billion towards the replacement of Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system.

The bill, which was enacted separately from the broader defense budget bill that was going through Congress at the same time, easily surpassed the 260-vote threshold.

The tally was 290 to 8 with votes still being counted.

A debate leading up to the vote included accusations of anti-Semitism by Republican lawmakers against their Democrats and retorts that the Republicans previously voted against aid for Israel.

In May, Israel pounded Gaza with air attacks for 11 days, in response to rocket fire from the enclave. Hamas and other groups said they took action after Israeli forces violently stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound several times, including on the holiest night of Ramadan.

At least 260 Palestinians, including 67 children, and 13 Israelis were killed in the fighting.

Progressives in the U.S. criticized the Israeli government’s for those air attacks, they have since argued that U.S. military aid to Israel should be conditions-based, as it often is for other countries with whom the U.S. has a strategic relationship. Other Democrats have pushed for the U.S. to fund humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in tandem with the Iron Dome funding.

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib tweeted her disapproval of the funding ahead of the vote, stating Wendesday, “I plan on casting a no vote. We must stop enabling Israel’s human rights abuses and apartheid government.”

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar expressed her disapproval of the funding tweeting Thursday, “Given the human rights violations in Gaza, Sheikh Jarrah, and ever-growing settlement expansion, we should not be ramming through a last-minute $1 billion increase in military funding for Israel without any accountability.” Omar and Tlaib are the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, and Tlaib is Congress’ first Palestinian-American woman to serve in the House.

Ahead of the House vote, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, according to a readout from the Israeli government. Gantz “thanked Secretary Austin for the continued support of the U.S. administration and the Pentagon for the processes to equip Israel with the means necessary to defend itself and its citizens.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hailed his country’s “friendship” with the US on Thursday, after the House of Representatives voted to provide $1 billion to Tel Aviv for its Iron Dome missile defense system.

“Thanks to members of the House of Representatives, Democratic and Republican alike, for the overwhelming support for Israel and the commitment to its security. Whoever tries to challenge this security received a resounding response today,” Bennett said on Twitter.

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