On Tuesday the Biden administration indicated that Israel will have to rely on Congress when it comes to replenishing their Iron Dome system.
At a hearing of Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterrorism, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Dana Stroul reiterated the administration’s support for additional Israel funding but made it clear that it wasn’t their call.
“We have unequivocally stated our support for supplemental appropriations and support of replenishing and expanding the system. We have consulted extensively with Congress and provided information paperwork to you all to support how you choose to proceed in funding the request,” Stroul said.
Israel is reportedly seeking $1 billion for its Iron Dome system, which was used during the recent conflict in Gaza. News of the request was first announced by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham during an appearance on Fox News in June.
That same month the administration publicly declared that it wanted the system restocked. “During the conflict, we saw the Iron Dome system, which our nations developed together, save the lives of countless civilians,” said acting assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs Joey Hood at the time. “The president is clear about this administration’s support for replenishing the system for Israel’s ability to defend itself in the future.”
In May Biden approved a $735 million arms sale to Israel, despite some congressional opposition. Progressive House members even tried to block the sale via resolution but the administration effectively ignored the move. “For decades, the U.S. has sold billions of dollars in weaponry to Israel without ever requiring them to respect basic Palestinian rights. In so doing, we have directly contributed to the death, displacement and disenfranchisement of millions,” said New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after introducing the resolution. “At a time when so many, including President Biden, support a ceasefire, we should not be sending ‘direct attack’ weaponry to Prime Minister Netanyahu to prolong this violence.”
On Tuesday the Biden administration also announced that it will sell $197 million worth of missiles to Egypt, despite growing concerns about the country’s human rights record.
When the zionists make demands, the members of congress in their pockets, will scramble and make it available to them at any cost, at tax payer expense. America has become a land of suckers, being taken advantage by an apartheid nation, that has spied on us, interfered in our policies, and elections, and yet when they say “jump” American Presidents and Members of the Congress, ask “how high”?
If the zionists are unable to live peacefully with those they occupy, and keep stealing from them, why the heck are we shielding them from stones and rockets? Who will shield the unarmed civilians from precision bombs and the latest US or Israeli weaponry? They occupy, steal all resources, evict, demolish, destroy, and bomb homes, hospitals, and shelters, and we have to spend billions of dollars to protect them from the obvious retaliation? Something is wrong with this picture.
Well, there’s a rubber stamp move if ever I’ve heard one. Nothing moves faster through Congress than giving Israel another billions of dollars to kill and oppress brown people.
Congress wouldn’t be able to agree on giving 5 dollars to their local volunteer fire department to help put out a burning kindergarten, yet Israel demands another billion dollars of US taxpayers money? Done…
I would think that this kind of money should be spent on needy people in the US – NOT on a war mongering pseudo ‘democracy’.
Good grief, it’s now 73 years since the racist, fascistic, borderless, expansionist entity referred to as “Israel” came about following its violent dispossession and expulsion of about 800,000 essentially defenseless indigenous Palestinians and it is still financially dependent on American taxpayers for survival. After decades of receiving $billions in aid from the U.S., it was recently granted $20 million per month – all gratis, it is now lobbying for a $1 billion grant to pay for an “Iron Dome.” WAKE UP AMERICANS, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF BOUGHT AND PAID FOR U.S. POLITICIANS, THE ZIONISTS ARE PLAYING YOU FOR SUCKERS!!
We Americans have the power to save lives by giving Israel weapons to defend itself.
We have a moral obligation to save lives.