The Biden administration has come under fire from Republicans following revelations that President Joe Biden had intentionally delayed military aid to Israel. This delay prompted House Republicans to introduce the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, aimed at compelling the swift delivery of approved defense articles and services to Israel, including third-party deliveries.
According to reports from Fox News, President Biden acknowledged withholding shipments of munitions and weapons already designated for Israel under a $95 billion foreign aid package he had previously signed into law. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre articulated the administration’s opposition to the Republican bill, asserting that they strongly oppose any attempts to restrict the president’s discretion in deploying U.S. security assistance — ignoring the precedent set by Democrats when they impeached former President Donald Trump for withholding congressionally approved aid to Ukraine in a far less shocking circumstance. Republicans have already planned an impeachment of Biden over the quid pro quo.
Jean-Pierre reiterated the administration’s commitment to eventually deliver all aid to Israel, including the $17 billion earmarked from the aforementioned package, in line with legal obligations and national security objectives.
Biden’s decision to withhold aid purportedly stems from concerns over Israeli plans to invade the city of Rafah, a Hamas stronghold. Critics argue that such an invasion would adversely affect refugees and exacerbate tensions in the region. The recent rocket attacks from Rafah into Israel and subsequent Israeli military response further intensified the conflict.
The Biden administration faces mounting pressure from both sides of the political spectrum regarding its handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Republicans accuse Biden of insufficient support for Israel, while some House Democrats expressed concerns about the administration’s messaging to Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups.
Delaying Aid to Israel
“The problem with [Biden’s] argument is if you’re going to hold up any sort of shipment based on questions, then of course you shouldn’t be giving the Palestinians any aid either,” @RepMcCormick (R-GA-06) tells Just the News, No Noise.
Watch… pic.twitter.com/7uhLYFb6ZC
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) May 14, 2024
Simultaneously, progressive voices accuse Biden of favoring Israel excessively, with protests erupting across college campuses and Muslim American communities. These demonstrations underscore a growing dissatisfaction with Biden’s approach to the Middle East crisis and have even influenced Democratic primary voting behavior.
