United States House of Representatives Approves Bill on Sending Arms to Israel

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The Republican-led United States House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would force President Joe Biden to send weapons to Israel, rebuking Democrats for delaying bomb deliveries as he urged Israel to do more to protect civilians during his war with Hamas.

The Israel Security Assistance Support Act passed by a vote of 224 to 187, largely along party lines. Sixteen Democrats joined most Republicans in voting in favor. Meanwhile, three Republicans joined most Democrats in opposing the measure.

The endorsement underscores deep divisions in a US election year over policy on Israel, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government seeks to eliminate the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Republicans accused President Biden of turning his back on Israel in the face of widespread pro-Palestinian protests.

"This is a very bad decision with global implications. This was clearly done as a political calculation, and we cannot allow this," said Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson in a press conference with other party leaders, reported by Reuters on May 17.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party also accused other parties of playing politics, saying the Republican Party was distorting Biden's position on Israel.

"This is not a serious legislative effort, which is why some of the most pro-Israel members of the Democratic caucus in the House will vote no," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a news conference before the vote.

It is known that Israel, the main recipient of US military aid for decades, will still get billions of dollars in US weapons, despite delays in one delivery of 2,000 pound (907 kg) and 500 pound bombs and a review of other arms deliveries by President Biden's Administration.

On Tuesday, the US State Department moved a $1 billion arms aid package for Israel into the congressional review process, US officials said.