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September 2021

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Israel's Iron Dome system intercept rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from Gaza strip, on May 19, 2021. (Photo: Bashar Taleb/APA Images)

Giving Israel $1 billion in fungible money for a weapon system will only encourage further war crimes. The progressive legislators who wanted to remove those billion dollars from the spending bill were doing the right thing.

Progressives lost a vote on Israel in the House yesterday, overwhelmingly, by 420-9. But the ten Democrats who refused to vote for the funding represent a solid beachhead of opposition inside Congress to the special relationship between the U.S. and the apartheid “Jewish state.” Pro-Palestinian human rights forces are not going away — and the sooner the American public is exposed to this debate, the better.

Jewish Voice for Peace stages a religious protest at the home of Jeffrey Yass, the richest person in Pennsylvania. He supports expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, and also supported Democrat Andrew Yang’s unsuccessful campaign for NY mayor.

Rashida Tlaib calls Israel an apartheid state during deliberations on spending $1 billion for Israeli military program, Iron Dome. Sept. 23, 2021. (Image: Screenshot)

House progressives were able to temporarily hold up an additional $1 billion to Israel, but the victory was shortlived. Only eight Democrats ended up voting against the spending. NY Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not vote no, voting present; while Betty McCollum, Mark Pocan and Jamaal Bowman, who have been critical of Israel, all voted for the funding.