By Patricia Zengerle
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, joined from left by Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday about President Joe Biden pausing a shipment of bombs to Israel. Photo: AP / J. Scott Applewhite
The Republican-led US House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, seeking to rebuke the Democrat for delaying bomb shipments as he urges Israel to do more to protect civilians during its war with Hamas.
The Israel Security Assistance Support Act was approved 224 to 187, largely along party lines. Sixteen Democrats joined most Republicans in voting yes, and three Republicans joined most Democrats in opposing the measure.
The act is not expected to become law, but its passage underscored the deep US election-year divide over Israel policy as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government seeks to wipe out militants who attacked Israel on 7 October, killing around 1200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on buildings near the separating wall between Egypt and Rafah, southern Gaza Strip on 7 May, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Photo: AP / Ramez Habboub
Palestinian authorities say at least 35,272 civilians have been killed during Israel's campaign in Gaza. Malnutrition is widespread and much of the population of the coastal enclave has been left homeless, with infrastructure destroyed.
Republicans accused Biden of turning his back on Israel after facing widespread pro-Palestinian protests.
"This is a catastrophic decision with global implications. It is obviously being done as a political calculation, and we cannot let this stand," Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told a news conference with other party leaders on Wednesday.
Democrats also accused the other party of playing politics, saying Republicans are distorting Biden's position on Israel.
"It is not a serious effort at legislation, which is why some of the most pro-Israel members of the House Democratic caucus will be voting no," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told a news conference before the vote.
Israel, a major recipient of US military assistance for decades, is still due to get billions of dollars of US weaponry, despite the delay of one shipment of 2000-pound (907kg) and 500-pound (227kg) bombs and the review of other weapons shipments by the Biden administration.
As recently as Tuesday, the State Department had moved a US$1 billion (NZ$1.6b) package of weapons aid for Israel into the congressional review process, US officials said.
- Reuters