The Republican-majority US House of Representatives has passed a bill that mandates President Joe Biden to expedite weapons shipment to Israel. This move is seen as a rebuke to Biden’s delay in bomb shipments.
What Happened: The House passed the Israel Security Assistance Support Act by 224 votes to 187, Reuters reported on Friday. The bill, primarily backed by Republicans, aims to counter Biden’s delay in bomb shipments to Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Sixteen Democrats joined the majority of Republicans in voting in favor, while three Republicans sided with most Democrats in opposition.
Despite its passage, the Act is not expected to become law. The Israeli government is currently engaged in a campaign to eliminate militants who attacked Israel, leading to significant casualties and hostage situations.
See Also: Elon Musk Says The More Unfair Attacks On Trump Seem ‘The Higher He Will Rise In Polls’ After GOP House Contender Slams Alvin Bragg’s ‘Kangaroo Court’
Republicans have criticized Biden for allegedly abandoning Israel amid widespread pro-Palestinian protests. Democrats, however, accuse Republicans of distorting Biden’s stance on Israel.
Despite the delay in one shipment, Israel, a long-standing recipient of U.S. military aid, is still set to receive billions of dollars in U.S. weaponry. The State Department has recently moved a $1 billion weapons aid package for Israel into the congressional review process.
Why It Matters: Earlier this month, Biden had issued a stern warning to Israel, cautioning that its invasion of Rafah could potentially disrupt the supply of weapons, amidst escalating tensions in Gaza. Biden’s warning drew sharp criticisms from high-profile fund managers like Bill Ackman, who called it “one of the worst acts against an ally of a sitting president ever."
Despite the initial halt in arms shipments, the Biden administration has reportedly initiated preliminary discussions for a potential $1 billion arms deal with Israel.
Read Next: Trump’s Niece Finds It ‘Absolutely Horrifying’ That Congress Members Say ‘Most Egregious Things’ To Undermine Ex-President’s Hush-Money Trial: ‘Feeds His Narcissistic Need’
Image via Shutterstock
Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by Pooja Rajkumari
The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. Learn more.
