US House defeats bid to cut off Israel aid in vote dividing Democrats

WASHINGTON: The United States House of Representatives has decisively defeated an amendment aimed at cutting off all security and financial aid to Israel, despite nearly half of the chamber’s Democrats voting in support of the measure.

The vote has laid bare a widening and historic fissure within the Democratic Party over Washington’s traditional, unconditional backing of its closest Middle Eastern ally amid the high civilian toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The House voted 314 to 104 to reject the proposal, which was introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky as an amendment to a State Department spending bill. While only a single Republican Massie himself voted in favour of the measure, it garnered the support of 103 Democrats. Ten lawmakers voted “present”.

The high level of Democratic support represents a significant shift from previous years, when legislative packages and resolutions in support of Israel routinely sailed through Congress with near-unanimous bipartisan majorities.

Shifting political tides

Representative Massie, a fiscal conservative who routinely opposes all forms of US foreign aid, stated that his proposal was also a response to the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“There have been 70,000 casualties in Gaza and I don’t think we should be part of that,” Massie said during the floor debate.

His failed amendment sought to block the $3.3 billion in annual security assistance that Washington provides to Israel, a funding stream established under a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2016 that remains in effect until 2028.

The changing political consensus is underscored by the contrast with September 2016, when the House voted overwhelmingly by 405 to 4 to pass a resolution backing that very MOU.

The shift comes amid the ongoing conflict that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people during a cross-border raid into Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The offensive has left much of the narrow coastal enclave in ruins. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been displaced multiple times, with most now living in makeshift tents or damaged structures along the coast.

Rifts in Democratic leadership

The vote exposed deep tactical and ideological divisions within the senior ranks of the Democratic Party.

The top House Democrat, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, opposed the amendment, describing it as “too broad” because it risked cutting off humanitarian programmes and embassy funding.

However, Representative Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House, broke ranks to support the measure.

“We should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with US law, interests, and values,” Clark said in a statement, arguing that the status quo had become untenable.

While the vote was largely symbolic as the measure would have faced certain defeat in the Senate and a guaranteed veto from Republican President Donald Trump it highlights a broader battle playing out in Democratic primary elections.

Left-wing progressives are increasingly campaigning on promises to end military aid to Israel, while moderate party members advocate for restricting US funds to defensive weapons only.

In a recent New York primary, veteran Representative Adriano Espaillat lost his seat to Darializa Avila Chevalier, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who ran with the backing of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The Democratic Party’s internal debate on US-Israel relations is expected to face another key test on August 4, when voters in Michigan head to the polls to nominate candidates for the US Senate, House of Representatives, and governor.