Key facts
- A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to block $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel.
- The bill was introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie.
- Several Democratic lawmakers, including Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are supporting the measure.
- The bill imposes conditions on aid to Palestinian territories, including ending alleged abuses and halting ICC investigations against Israelis.
- The proposed spending package includes $6.77 billion for Israel's Foreign Military Financing program.
U.S. lawmakers are pushing a bill that would halt approximately $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel, with a vote expected this week. The measure, introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, has garnered support from several progressive Democratic lawmakers, including Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Greg Casar, and Ilhan Omar.
Congresswoman Tlaib stated on X that the U.S. should not fund a military committing alleged genocide and war crimes. The bill, part of a larger spending package, also imposes new restrictions on U.S. support for Palestinians. It would block security assistance to the occupied West Bank and Gaza unless the Secretary of State certifies that Palestinians are meeting U.S.-set benchmarks and ceasing alleged abuses by their security forces. Furthermore, the bill prohibits aid if Palestinians pursue investigations at the International Criminal Court against Israeli nationals.
Additional restrictions would prevent funds from being used for Palestinian Authority assistance if they obtain full UN membership outside a negotiated agreement with Israel. The $3.3 billion in annual military aid for Israel is part of a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding. Reports indicate that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backed efforts to end direct military aid to Israel.