Key facts
- Rep. Greg Casar will vote for an amendment to halt $3.3 billion in annual US military aid to Israel.
- Rep. Rashida Tlaib will force a vote to end US involvement in Israel's actions in Lebanon.
- Tlaib described Israel's actions as 'ethnic cleansing and territorial expansion'.
- Forty senators voted to block bulldozers, and 36 voted against blocking bomb shipments to Israel.
US Representative Greg Casar announced his intention to vote for an amendment that would halt military aid to Israel, citing concerns over alleged war crimes. The Texas Democrat stated that Americans should not fund further weapons for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The amendment, introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie, aims to cancel $3.3 billion in annual US aid to Israel and remove funding from the State Department appropriations bill. The proposal is expected to be put to a vote in the House of Representatives later this week.
In contrast, Micah Lasher, a Democratic candidate for Congress in New York's 12th District, declined to commit to halting arms sales to Israel or to accuse the country of committing genocide. Lasher expressed willingness to co-sponsor legislation addressing West Bank violence and enforce existing US laws on human rights violations, but he demurred on supporting measures for a complete aid cutoff, citing the need for further review and the complexity of the region.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, a significant number of Democrats and allied senators voted against shipments of American-made military equipment to Israel. Forty senators supported a measure led by Senator Bernie Sanders to block bulldozers, and 36 voted against blocking bomb shipments. These votes represent the largest congressional rejection to date of US military aid to Israel, signaling growing skepticism within the party regarding the long-standing US-Israel alliance.
US Representative Rashida Tlaib stated she will force another vote in Congress aimed at ending US involvement in what she described as Israel’s “campaign of ethnic cleansing and territorial expansion” in Lebanon. Tlaib wrote on X that "Congress must vote to end U.S. support for these atrocities and force an end to Israel’s invasion and illegal military occupation of Lebanese territory." She added that "over 4,250 people have been massacred" and that "twelve children are killed or maimed every day as these U.S.-backed war crimes continue."