Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a bill on Wednesday aimed at blocking the sale of $735 million in precision-guided munitions to Israel in a symbolic response to the current escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) governing Gaza. Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, along with Congressman Mark Pocan, led the initiative with at least six other members, including some of the more left-leaning Democrats in the House.
These lawmakers are part of a group calling for a U.S. effort to coordinate an end to the violence, including Israeli airstrikes that have killed dozens of civilians in Gaza. This year, the Biden administration approved potential arms sales worth $735 million to Israel and officially sent the matter to Congress for review on May 5, granting lawmakers a 15-day period to object under the governing laws for arms sales to foreign countries.
Ocasio-Cortez stated, "At a time when many, including President Biden, support a ceasefire, we should not be sending direct attack weapons to Prime Minister (Israeli Benjamin) Netanyahu to prolong this violence." The resolution is unlikely to gain much traction in a House controlled by Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office regarding which measures are brought to a vote. House leaders have expressed their support for the sale, with Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking Democratic leader in the House, telling reporters on Tuesday that he supports the sale.
The sale of direct attack munitions made by Boeing was routine at the time, before the region experienced its most intense fighting in years earlier this month. Israel generally enjoys strong support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. Congress. It has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid since World War II, with the U.S. currently providing Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military assistance.
