A vote in the House of Representatives has exposed a deepening divide within the Democratic Party over continued American support for Israel, with more than half of Democratic lawmakers backing an amendment to strip USD 3.3 billion in military aid from a broader national security appropriations bill.
Although the amendment was defeated by a 314-104 vote on July 15, the outcome marked one of the strongest indications yet of changing political sentiment following Israel's war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.
The vote also underscored growing divisions within the Democratic Party as it heads toward the US midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. More than 100 Democratic lawmakers supported the amendment to end the military aid, while nearly as many voted against it. Most Republicans, meanwhile, backed retaining the funding.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he opposed the amendment that sought to eliminate US military aid to Israel entirely, but stressed that "for the good of Israel and the Palestinian people, American policy in the Middle East must change."
In a letter to fellow Democrats ahead of a private caucus meeting this week—where Israel was the central topic of discussion—Jeffries said he believed "there are more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary when it comes to the far-right Netanyahu government."
While more traditional Democrats have continued to support US backing for Israel, a growing number have distanced themselves from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts said she would support withholding the funds.
Military cost of Iran war may exceed $100 bnUnited States intelligence officials estimate that the total military cost of the war in Iran could reportedly exceed $100 billion for the Pentagon. This massive financial projection highlights the escalating economic strain of the conflict as prolonged combat operations, intensive logistics, and advanced munitions consumption drain defence resources far faster than initial assessments predicted. With no immediate end to the hostilities in sight, defense analysts warn that the final bill could disrupt broader government spending for the Donald Trump administration and force a significant reallocation of the federal budget. Beyond active combat zones, the Pentagon is absorbing vast indirect costs to stabilise neighboring territories and protect strategic maritime trade routes. A significant portion of the projected budget is dedicated to keeping critical sea lanes open, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz |
