Image Credits - The Times of Israel
House Republicans have introduced a $17.6 billion financing bill that aims to provide Israel more military support in its fight with Hamas, a move that exposes partisan splits. A House Appropriations panel introduced the idea, which is perceived as a show of solidarity for Jerusalem in the face of a deal led by the Senate that would have increased immigration enforcement at the US-Mexico border and provided funding for Ukraine.
House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasised the critical requirement of providing $4 billion to resupply missile defence systems and $1.2 billion to counter threats posed by mortars and short-range rockets. He also stressed the urgency of assisting US forces in the region alongside Israel. In addition to the improvement of artillery and munitions manufacturing, the financial package also contains provisions for the purchase of cutting-edge weaponry.
The White House, however, swiftly put the idea aside, calling it a “cynical political manoeuvre” and accusing Republicans of exploiting military assistance to Israel as a political football. The $17.6 billion is divided into two categories, according to the House Appropriations Committee: $3.3 billion for ongoing US military activities in the region and $4.4 billion to restock US supplies of weapons supplied to Israel.
“The need to support our closest ally and our forces in the region has never been more pressing,” Speaker Mike Johnson said in defence of the action. That being said, there is still no guarantee that the bill will pass the Senate.
The Senate is about to present a bipartisan solution that addresses the House Republicans’ idea by providing funding for help to Ukraine and proposing measures to bolster security along the southern US border. There is a disagreement with the Senate’s approach since the House Republicans have insisted on linking US border controls with aid to Ukraine.
The same bill needs to pass both the House and the Senate before it can be signed into law by Democratic President Joe Biden and provide any additional military support to Israel or Ukraine. In addition, the White House announced that it will pursue humanitarian funding for Gaza; the Senate is currently considering including aid for Taiwan in its legislation.
The Republican idea was criticised by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement, saying, “The security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game.” The statement went on to criticise the measure, claiming that it denies Palestinian civilians medical aid, does not sufficiently handle border security, and fails to support Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
Speaker Mike Johnson drew attention to the Senate’s lack of engagement with the House during discussions, arguing that this precludes any legislation from being considered quickly. To make it easier for the Israel aid to pass, he emphasised how crucial it is to remove offsets.
A nearly $14.5 billion military aid package for Israel was previously passed by the House and rejected by the Senate in November. Republicans insisted on paying the law with reductions to other agencies, especially the Internal Revenue Service, which caused resistance to the plan.