WASHINGTON, DC — A group of leftist
US Democrats came
under heavy fire Tuesday after reportedly vowing to nix a short-term spending
bill over a $1 billion allocation for
Israel's Iron Dome missile defense
system.
اضافة اعلان
The party leadership vowed there would be no interruption in
funding, with the cash being sourced elsewhere — but not before being berated
by Republicans for capitulating to "anti-Semites" on their left
flank.
Steny Hoyer, the
Democratic House of Representatives
majority leader, said there would be a vote "before the end of this week
that will fund fully Iron Dome."
He added he had talked to Israeli Foreign Minister Yair
Lapid "and assured him that that bill was going to pass this house."
He said the House would use an accelerated procedure known
as a suspension bill that requires a bill be approved by two thirds of the
members present, or a unanimous oral vote. The Senate will then have to adopt
it.
Tuesday's drama was sparked by House Democrats removing a
provision originally included in a bill to keep the federal government funded
that would have helped boost the Israeli air defense system.
The about-face came after a group of leftist representatives
objected to the allocation, US media reported, threatening to tank the bill
when it comes up for a vote later Tuesday.
While the row looked ultimately like a storm in a tea cup,
it underlined that progressives are becoming increasingly skeptical of
no-strings-attached aid to the US’ key ally in the Middle East, just months
after the end of hardline right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu's 11-year
premiership.
Operational for a decade, Iron Dome has intercepted and
destroyed thousands of short-range rockets and artillery shells launched by
Hamas militants from Gaza before they were able to hit populated areas, Israeli
officials say.
House Republican leader
Kevin McCarthy blasted Democrats for
capitulating to "the anti-Semitic influence of their radical
members," an accusation echoed by conservative Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who
urged the Democratic rank-and-file to denounce the party's leadership.
Read more Regional
.jpg)
.jpg)
