Pro-Israel groups lament they have lost Rep. Ayanna Pressley as a dependable vote.
Dave Reed spoke to Beth Miller, Senior Government Affairs Manager at JVP Action, about the political maneuvering that brought the Iron Dome funding expansion bill to its ultimate passage.
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.
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.
In an unprecedented show of strength by House progressives, Democratic leadership was forced to strip $1 billion in funding for an Israeli arms system from a government spending bill. House Majority leader Steny Hoyer rushed to assure Israeli Foreign Minister that the money would go through next week.
Rhode Island activists blockade Raytheon weapons facility to protest arm sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia
The Biden administration wants $1 billion to restock Israel’s Iron Dome system. Will Congress give him what he wants?