Sixteen Democratic lawmakers joined Republicans to pass a bill that compels the Biden administration to accelerate approved arms shipments to Israel. This move overrides the administration’s effort to potentially halt weapons transfers in the event of a full-scale assault on Rafah in Gaza.
The bill was passed by a 224-187 vote in the House of Representatives on Friday. For it to become law, it must also pass the Democrat-controlled Senate. The Biden administration has stated it would veto the bill, arguing it undermines the president’s foreign policy.
Among the 16 Democrats who supported the bill were strong proponents of Israel, including Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz, Josh Gottheimer, and Ritchie Torres. Their votes reflect significant opposition to Biden’s decision to delay a shipment of bombs worth over $1 billion to Israel amid its ongoing conflict in Gaza.
President Biden warned last week that he would delay the transfer of offensive weapons if Israel launched a full-scale aggression on Rafah, where approximately 1.5 million Palestinians are currently sheltering.
Israel’s conflict with Gaza began on October 7, 2023, following Operation al-Aqsa Storm, a retaliatory attack by Palestinian resistance groups against Israeli actions in the region.
