Nearly Half of House Democrats Vote To End American Aid to Israel

More than 100 House Democrats on Wednesday voted to zero out all American aid to Israel — a stunning shift in the level of support that the Jewish state has on Capitol Hill. The amendment from a Republican, Congressman Thomas Massie, would have stripped all aid to Israel out of this year’s annual funding bill for the state department and foreign aid. In the years since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel, Democratic voters have shifted sharply against Prime Minister Netanyahu and continued American support for his country. One poll from the New York Times and Siena College in May found that 68 percent of Democratic voters oppose sending aid to Israel, compared to just 24 percent who said they support economic and military assistance. On Wednesday, as the House was preparing to vote on the annual state department and foreign aid funding bill, Mr. Massie called up his amendment to cancel the $3.3 billion that the United States sends to Israel annually in the form of military and economic aid. That annual assistance package was negotiated between President Obama and Mr. Netanyahu during the final year of Mr. Obama’s presidency. When the amendment came up for a vote, 103 Democrats voted for the measure. Mr. Massie was the lone GOP “yes” vote. The House Democratic leadership team was divided on the issue. Two of the top three Democrats in the House voted against the amendment, while the second-ranking Democrat — the minority whip, Congresswoman Katherine Clark — voted for the amendment. “It is clear that the status quo is not tenable,” Ms. Clark said in a statement before the vote on Wednesday. “We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with U.S. law, interests, and values. The Netanyahu government has failed to meet that standard.”“I believe we must change course,” she argued. Of the 21 Democratic House members who are Jewish, eight voted for the amendment, while 12 voted no. Congressman Jerry Nadler did not cast a vote on Wednesday. Speaker Nancy Pelosi also voted for the amendment, saying that it is regrettable that the actions of the Israeli government have brought her to such a decision. “The Massie Amendment presents an unfortunate choice to the House,” Mrs. Pelosi said in a statement. “For the good of the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, it is clear that U.S. policy must change to attain [peace].”The Democratic former House majority leader, Congressman Steny Hoyer, spoke on the House floor in “strong opposition” to Mr. Massie’s amendment, and chided lawmakers for turning against Israel. He said it would “dangerously undermine” American national security.Mr. Hoyer proclaimed that investing in Israel’s national security operations and remaining close with the country remains “the only realistic path to deliver on the promise of peace, security, and self-determination for both Israel and Palestine.”The minority leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries came out against the amendment on Wednesday, though he made clear that he has reservations about America’s current relationship with Israel.“America’s commitment to Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state and homeland for the Jewish people must remain ironclad. Equally significant, the United States must strongly support the creation of an independent Palestinian state that provides dignity, respect and self-determination for the Palestinian people,” Mr. Jeffries wrote in a letter to his colleagues. “A process to achieve that goal, ultimately including regional partnerships similar to the Abraham Accords, should be set into motion forthwith.”Whether or not Democrats take the House in November, Mr. Jeffries will have a host of new colleagues who are actively opposed to continued American support for the Jewish state. In New York, three candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani all bested their primary opponents — two of whom were sitting members of Congress — by running, in part, against those lawmakers’ support for Israel. In Democratic primaries across the country, voters are backing candidates who say that America must cut off aid to Israel entirely, representing a seismic shift in how rank-and-file Democrats feel about Israel, which was once held in high regard by Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike. On top of the 103 Democrats who voted for Mr. Massie’s amendment on Wednesday, there was a small band of Democratic lawmakers who voted “present.” In total, ten Democrats registered their “present” vote for that amendment, meaning that 113 House Democrats in total declined to offer support to the continued aid for Israel — more than half of the Democratic caucus.

Nearly Half of House Democrats Vote To End American Aid to Israel

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