Staff Reports
House Republicans pushed forward a new bill on Thursday to make President Biden send weapons to Israel for its fight against Hamas terrorists. The Democrats had to pick between supporting President Biden or supporting Israel and Jewish voters. They chose to support President Biden.
House passes bill forcing Biden to arm Israel, catches Democrats in political crossfirehttps://t.co/dhMGpqBRyY pic.twitter.com/GV2NV0rPFP
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) May 17, 2024
The House passed the Israel Security Assistance Support Act 224 to 187, with only 16 Democrats joining the Republican majority. This bill, written by Rep. Ken Calvert, a California Republican, aimed to respond to President Biden’s decision to pause arms shipments to Israel over concerns about civilian casualties. The bill would force the administration to send weapons to Israel and release any held-back arms.
The bill also brought attention to the divide within the Democratic Party on the issue of support for Israel. Democrats tried to dismiss the legislation, saying it was not helpful and could hinder President Biden’s foreign policy decisions.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, argued that the specific weapons President Biden was blocking were necessary for Israel to combat the extensive tunnel network used by Hamas. He highlighted the civilian casualties as a result of urban warfare and emphasized that war is terrible but that Israel did not start this conflict.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat, stated he would not bring the bill to a vote after President Biden promised to veto it. House Speaker Mike Johnson urged Mr. Schumer to reconsider, but the bill is unlikely to move forward.
